


King of Camelot

by LaBelleetlaloup



Series: The Once and Future King [7]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Court Politics, F/M, Female Merlin, POV Alator, POV Arthur, POV Gwaine, POV Merlin, POV Morgana, POV Morgause, Season/Series 04, The Old Religion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-10
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-04-13 10:31:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 41,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4518483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaBelleetlaloup/pseuds/LaBelleetlaloup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alright, so we have made it to season 4. (How long have I been working on this story???? Does that word counter really say over 200k??? anyway...) We'll start with my version of The Wicked Day and move on from there. Mithian returns and is better than Arthur at hunting. They handle Caerleon and Annis with more aplomb. The Lamia is still creepy. Agravaine is going to come to visit and be a complete disaster of a human being. Gwaine is still madly in love with Merlin, bless his heart. Still trying to keep Morgana from becoming a complete disaster of a human being over there with Agravaine and Morgause. Hopefully it's working.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The King is Dead, Long Live the King

As Arthur’s birthday approached, Uther seemed to regain a bit of awareness of the world around him. He noticed the decorations going up around the castle and the busy preparations for a large feast. The nobles from what had been Essetir were arriving in caravans for Arthur’s birthday celebration and honestly Merlin would have been even more concerned had Uther not noticed all the hustle and bustle. Gaius admitted to Arthur that while it was certainly an improvement, that he should not anticipate Uther regaining enough health to take back over ruling because Uther had lost quite a bit of weight from picking at his food. He would likely take years to regain his strength, even if he managed to regain all his mental fortitude, and Arthur would still be in charge of the day-to-day activities.

“Where did all these people come from?” Uther asked Gwen two days before Arthur’s birthday. “So many nobles.” Merlin and Gwen had been discussing what Uther might wear to the celebration and he silenced them both.

“They’re from Essetir, sire,” Gwen answered. “Arthur took over Essetir because Cenred was dead and he had a war claim.”

“Cenred’s cousin Lot was poised to take the throne and he’s a despicable man who Cenred had banished,” Merlin added. Uther nodded slowly.

“I remember Lot being banished. He tried to force a noblewoman to his bed, did he not?”

“He did,” Merlin agreed. “Arthur could not leave the people to the will of such a man when he had a claim himself. Your son is very honorable.”

Uther smiled back at her. “Yes, he is.”

With Uther seeming to finally begin recovering and a celebration planned, Arthur was in high spirits all week. Merlin was a little more concerned about the practical details. She double-checked behind all the servants that the chores were done and decorations hung, though Merlin dared not check behind Audrey. She also examined every group of nobles that arrived, making certain that all the foreign servants truly belonged with someone who had been invited and ascertained that the guards were on high alert. Uther was assigned his own guard rotation, because his ill health made him vulnerable to attack. Merlin and Arthur also had guards posted outside their chambers.

Finally Arthur’s birthday arrived and Merlin began to breathe easier. The acrobats and performers had arrived the night before and had nothing strange to report from the road that might indicate one of them had been replaced. Everything ought to go smoothly.

That night, the Banquet Hall was full of people. Uther had come down in his finery and crown. Merlin and Arthur were also dressed up at the high table. Knights and courtiers were tucking into one of Audrey’s finest feasts. The performers were doing tricks all over the hall: tossing painted sticks into the air and catching them, playing at breathing fire, sleight-of-hand feigned magic tricks. It was quite an impressive display. Even Uther was enjoying himself. Arthur was quite pleased by the sight, especially when Uther raised his goblet in Arthur’s direction in a private, silent toast.

Suddenly, the performers all brought their tricks to a halt and a man stood in the center of the hall, bowing to the high table as silence descended. He was the man in charge. Merlin thought that the others had called him Gleeman, a fitting name for such a performer. He had some sort of circular wooden board, like a giant wooden practice shield beside him.

“I require a volunteer...” the Gleeman murmured. He stepped forward, looking at Arthur. “Prince Arthur. What better or more fitting occasion for you to demonstrate your legendary bravery?” Merlin was surprised at the incorrect title as she had informed them of the correct one only the night before. Arthur froze, obviously feeling caught out. “Do you accept the challenge?”

Arthur glanced around, seeing all of the people awaiting his decision, “Of course.” Arthur stood. Merlin grabbed his arm, even as the applause began.

“Is this safe...?” she demanded.

“It's knife throwing, Merlin. Of course it's not safe. But I could hardly refuse his challenge.” Merlin glared at him but Arthur shrugged back at her and took off his cloak and jacket, laying them over the arm of his chair. “Interfere if you need to, love. No one will be able to protest.” Arthur kissed her cheek. Merlin nodded and Arthur made his way to the center of the room beside the Gleeman.

Arthur smiled reassuringly at Merlin and his knights, who all looked just as ready to interfere as Merlin was. Arthur stepped back against the board. The Gleeman and one of his assistants strapped Arthur's ankles and wrists to the restraints on the board. Merlin saw Arthur glance nervously at the Gleeman, who murmured something probably reassuring back to him. Arthur smiled as he replied, at any rate.

The Gleeman took an apple from his assistant and turned to Arthur. “May I?” he asked.

“What?” Arthur asked, even as there was a smattering of giggles. Before Arthur could say anything further or object, the Gleeman stuffed the apple into his mouth. Merlin’s mouth fell open. She heard Gwaine trying to stifle his amusement off to her left. The Gleeman’s assistant pushed the wheel and it began to spin. The nobles were impressed. Merlin suddenly understood the need for the apple. Arthur was going to feel terribly ill.

A set of three knives were brought to the Gleeman and he held the first up to the crowd. Merlin’s magic jumped to attention as he threw the blade nearly without stopping to aim. Thankfully, it only landed near his face, much to everyone’s audible relief. The second knife landed on the other side of Arthur’s face. The third landed in the apple in Arthur’s mouth. Merlin could hear the whispered concerns from the nobles who had only not heard the thud of a knife in wood as the wheel slowly spun to a stop, but she had been tracking the knives and had already slumped back down in her seat. There was thunderous applause and the Gleeman took a bow as one of his assistants helped Arthur down. Arthur kept the apple, taking a large bite.

“See, Merlin? Nothing to worry about,” Arthur assured her. Merlin helped him back into his jacket and cloak and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Well, perhaps we can wait a few days before you try to scare me to death again, though?” Arthur chuckled and nodded. One of the nobles at their table began a conversation with Merlin and she let Arthur attend to them, turning to scold Gwaine for laughing so obviously.

The rest of the feast continued without further excitement until it was time to retire to bed. At some point, Arthur had had quite a bit of wine, and he stumbled back to their chambers. Merlin had to herd him up the stairs and was highly amused at his antics and posturing about his bravery with the Gleeman’s challenge by the time they reached their chambers.

“You're telling me you weren't even a little bit scared?”

Arthur scoffed. “Of course I wasn't. I am a warrior. You learn to control your fear. To channel it—” he cut himself off by running into the pillar in the middle of his room. Merlin reached out to steady him but Arthur managed to keep his feet. He did not keep his train of thought.

“You looked scared...” she prompted. Arthur began pulling his clothes off and did not seem to even hear her.

“It's good to see my father enjoying himself.” He suddenly looked stricken with no visible cause. “He looked a little quiet towards the end, though. Perhaps I should go and see him.”

“Are you sure that's a good idea? You can barely stand up.”

“Are you saying I'm drunk?”

“No,” Merlin scoffed. “I'm just saying I don't think you should be wandering around the palace.”

“And why is that?” Arthur demanded snottily.

“You're not wearing any trousers.”

Arthur looked down at himself and noticed that he had already undone the strings and his trousers were puddled around his ankles. “Good point.” He pulled his trousers up as he made his way out the door. Merlin let him go. There were guards everywhere and perhaps the air and a walk would help sober him up. She needed to double check the expenses for the feast at some point anyway.

 

Arthur made his way slowly to his father’s chambers. When he arrived, the guards were standing there just as Merlin had organized. She was such an intelligent Queen, ascertaining everyone’s safety. Arthur was so proud of her. His father was in his chair, peacefully asleep in more comfortable clothes. Gwen had already left so Arthur took the goblet out of his father’s hand and set it on the table. Arthur sank into the chair beside his father, exhausted, his head falling onto his arms. Merlin would come find him soon enough.

His eyes slowly blinked closed. Then he caught sight of the Gleeman behind him with a sword in the reflection on the wine pitcher. What happened to the guards? Who had been on duty? Arthur clumsily drew his sword and managed to parry, but fell out of his chair and staggered backwards. He tried to call out, knowing that he was in no shape to win a fight, but his voice refused to cooperate. The Gleeman kept attacking and Arthur was more and more on the defensive until his sword was knocked out of his hand across the room. Arthur fell to his knees.

“Goodbye, Arthur Pendragon.” The Gleeman raised his sword and Arthur knew it was the end. All Leon and Merlin’s fretting about the kingdom’s future and his safety come to naught because of some juggler. Thankfully, as the sword came down, it was met in the air. Arthur and his assassin both turned in surprise to see Uther standing there with Arthur’s sword.

“It will take more than a coward like you to kill my son,” Uther snarled. Arthur watched the Gleeman and his father trade blows, his father rusty from months of idleness. He tried to get to his feet to go help his father but his body would not obey his commands. 

“Have you anything to say to your son before I kill him?” the Gleeman taunted. Arthur met his father’s eyes and his father found a new ferocity, forcing the assassin back and back. He was winning! Arthur smiled as his father dealt a fatal blow to the assassin but the Gleeman had lunged at him at the last second and his father did not look triumphant. Arthur caught him as he collapsed.

“Father?” There was blood staining his nightshirt. Oh god, no. “No... Guards!” there was of course no answer. “I'll go get help!” Arthur tried to stand.

“Stay with me,” his father protested.

“I'm here, Father,” Arthur paused. He might as well try. Perhaps someone was in the corridor. He called out, “Guards! Someone! We need help!”

“It is my time,” his father said.

“No...” Arthur protested, “You can't die...”

“I know you will make me proud, as you always have. You will be a great King, my son,” his father smiled wanly at him.

“I'm not ready,” Arthur babbled stupidly, tears in his eyes.

“You-- you've been ready for some time, Arthur.”

“No. I need you.”

“I know I've not been a...a good father. I put my duty to Camelot first. I'm sorry.”

“Don't say that,” Arthur chided.

Uther tightly gripped his hand, “But know this one thing. I always loved you.” His eyes slowly slipped closed. Arthur murmured stupid protests, begging his father to stay awake, but of course, to no avail. Where was Merlin?

 

Merlin suddenly realized the time. She had been poring over numbers for quite some time and Arthur had not returned. He must have fallen asleep in his father’s room. Merlin stepped outside. Geraint and Leon were on duty now.

“Oh, hello,” she smiled. “Arthur wandered off to his father’s room a while back. He’s probably fallen asleep. Who wants to carry him back?”

“Drink too much wine at dinner?” Geraint asked affably, both he and Leon falling in step with her.

“His father was probably asleep too,” Leon murmured. Merlin nodded her agreement.

“I looked up from the expenses I was double-checking and realized he hadn’t returned, so I suppose I ought to fetch him.”

“He’ll be in an unspeakably foul temper if he wakes up from a night of drink having slept sitting up,” Geraint agreed. Leon gave him a scolding look but Merlin waved him off. She knew how dreadful Arthur’s temper got when he drank too much. Thankfully it was now a very rare occurrence.

They turned onto the corridor of Uther’s chambers and all the guards were on the floor. Merlin, Leon and Geraint ran the length of the corridor and burst into the chambers. The Gleeman was dead on the floor and Uther was unconscious in Arthur’s arms and he looked unconscious too.

“Get Gaius,” Merlin ordered, rushing to Arthur’s side. Apparently Geraint left because Leon was still at her side.

“I think Uther’s still bleeding,” Leon said. “That means he’s not dead yet. Get him up on the bed. Can you move Arthur?” Merlin pulled Arthur out of the way and Leon hefted Uther onto the bed. Merlin attempted to rouse Arthur but he would not wake. She and Leon managed to drag him into a chair by the time Geraint returned with Gaius and half of the knights and several servants trailing behind them.

“Is he alive?” echoed from the crowd.

“I thought Arthur drank too much but I think he was poisoned. Uther’s been stabbed but he seems to be hanging on to life still.”

“You worry about your husband, I’ll see if there’s anything I can do for Uther. Leon, will you get the bodies moved and disperse this crowd?”

“Of course, Gaius.”

Merlin quietly used her magic to ascertain that Arthur would wake back up and be alright. He soon roused, though he was clearly in shock.

Leon and the knights removed the bodies of the assassin and the guards and then the crowd left with promises of news in the morning.

Gaius checked over Uther, but there was nothing really for him to do.

“The blade pierced his heart. He’s bleeding on the inside too. It’s only a matter of time. Did you get to say goodbye?”

“What about magic? Can’t something be done?” Arthur was horrified. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“Arthur, you can’t get something for nothing. I don’t know much about a life for a life magic and you know it’s dangerous. If he’s too close to death, there’s nothing I can do without risking everyone else’s life.”

“I’m afraid I have to agree with Merlin,” Gaius added. “He’s nearly dead already. It’s too close. You just need to make your peace with it.”

“I’m not ready,” Arthur whimpered. Merlin rubbed his shoulders.

“I’m right here for you.”

Merlin managed to coax Arthur to their chambers, into clean sleep pants and into bed, but it seemed that they barely got any sleep before they had to wake up the next morning.

Leon had apparently stayed up all night to discover the assassin’s motives. The majority of the performers had no idea an assassin was travelling amongst them, but one of the Gleeman’s assistants had fled into the night when word of his death got out. But it seemed that it was another plot by Odin to kill Arthur for that duel to the death his son had challenged Arthur to and lost years prior. Merlin recalled a similar assassination attempt back when Arthur had the crisis of faith over the jousting tournament. Some visiting knight had died in Arthur’s place.

The visiting nobles all fled the citadel as well, or so it seemed because they were all packing up and leaving. The last group left first thing the second morning after Arthur’s birthday. Arthur and Merlin were given heavy guards wherever they went and audiences were suspended. Arthur was too despondent to really notice, but Merlin felt quite smothered by the security measures. She spent four blissful hours on the parapets before they found her in time for supper on the third day. The townspeople and some of the servants held a candlelight vigil in the courtyard that infuriated Arthur. Merlin and the councilors attempting to discuss arrangements for Arthur’s inevitable coronation caused him to storm out in a huff, but once he left, the arrangements were easily decided upon. There was plenty of precedent, after all.

On the fourth day, Uther died. He was dressed in his finery and laid in state in the throne room. Arthur sobbed like a child until he ran out of tears while Merlin rubbed his back. The nobles and knights trailed through the throne room all afternoon and evening to pay their respects.

That night, Arthur spent the night by his father’s body. It was apparently some sort of tradition. Merlin did not really understand, but Arthur was insistent that he had to do this and do it alone. Arthur spent the night in the throne room and Merlin spent the night on the floor outside the throne room. He certainly did not need to be alone.

The sun woke her before Arthur came back out and Merlin stared at the sunlight streaming in the window until the doors finally creaked open behind her and Arthur said her name.

“It is a new day,” he announced. He looked calm and serene. Apparently the strange ritual had helped him. Merlin smiled as she stood up. “Have you been here all night?” Arthur asked.

“I didn't want you to be alone,” Merlin explained. Arthur smiled softly at her and pulled her into an embrace.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

After a moment Arthur stepped back and closed the doors to the throne room and took a breath.

“You must be hungry?”

“Starving,” Merlin agreed.

“Me too... Come on. Let’s go get some breakfast.” Arthur led her back up to their chambers. Breakfast was waiting on them, the bacon nice and hot.

That afternoon, Arthur was crowned King of Camelot. The throne room was full of courtiers and knights and townspeople. Merlin was standing at the front, their group of knights by her side. Arthur strode in from the back and walked down the center aisle in all his armor and his red cloak, head bare. He knelt at Geoffrey’s feet.

“Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?”

“I solemnly swear so to do.”

“Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?”

“I will.”

“Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I crown you Arthur, King of Camelot!” Geoffrey set the crown on Arthur’s head. Arthur rose to his feet and turned to greet his people.

“Long live the King!” Leon shouted.

Everyone joined in the chant, “Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!” It rang through the chambers and out into the streets and to the edges of the kingdom.  
“Long live the King!”


	2. Welcome Agravaine

The days following Arthur’s coronation were quiet. Camelot was already allied or in treaty discussions with most of Albion not under Pict or Saxon rule, so no one took the opportunity to immediately march on the citadel. With Odin’s assassination plot foiled so recently, they did not anticipate an immediate retaliation from him either. Therefore, Merlin got to take Arthur and spend a few days with her parents and Cariad.

Leon was left in charge of guard rotations and training. Gwaine was to ride out and fetch them if anything important happened that needed Arthur’s personal attention.  
Gwen was left in charge of audiences and any disputes among the servants. Merlin had instructed the Steward to find Gwen an appropriate position within the week or Gwen would take his own position. He seemed to understand that she was entirely serious in her threat.

Council was suspended until Arthur’s return.

Merlin and Arthur arrived at the Dragorn fortress to find Kilgarrah sunning himself on the parapets and Sorventh and Aithusa flying over the courtyard while Hunith and Balinor waited in the courtyard with Cariad. He was almost eight months old now and a fair bit bigger than the last time they had been able to visit.

“Heh!” Cariad called out. “Heh! Heh!”

“He hasn’t mastered hello yet,” Balinor explained. Merlin scooped her baby out of her father’s arms and kissed him hello.

“Hello, hello, hello,” Merlin murmured.

“Takes after his mother then?” Arthur asked.

“If you’re asking does he throw his toys across the room, then yes,” Hunith grumbled fondly, hand on her rounded stomach.

“He’s very smart,” Balinor agreed with Arthur, rolling his eyes at his wife. Hunith herded them all inside.

Although multisyllabic words were a challenge, Cariad was already capable of communicating. Hunith and Balinor both said he was better at speaking than most babies his age. He called Hunith na-na and Balinor ba-ba. Merlin took a vindictive pleasure in the fact he called the wet-nurse milk, but Arthur was mortified. Cariad had also mastered yes, no, please, thank, and bread, but water was still wa-wa. Merlin and Arthur were both quite proud of him.

By the end of the visit, Cariad called Merlin mama and Arthur papa. Arthur was ecstatic but Merlin rather doubted that it would last the months that always managed to pass between visits. Cariad was still very young and his memory was not so long. Once he was older, the visits would seem relatively frequent, but for now they were as good as lifetimes apart.

Cariad had also managed to figure out the concept of sleeping through the night. Merlin was guiltily grateful for the reprieve. She had not been looking forward to spending a few days without sleep, but she had only had to spend short visits getting up with Cariad, rather than having to get up with him every night for months on end so it seemed selfish to be grateful but she was anyway.

Although Merlin was mostly concerned with Cariad, she did visit with Kilgarrah and discovered her father had managed to get his hands on four more eggs: a blue one, two green ones, and a purple one. Balinor had hatched three of them, leaving only one of the green ones. The dark blue one was called Welhecwen. The light green one was Haewen. The twilight purple one was Basu. Merlin quickly realized why her mother was in such an irritable mood: three tiny baby dragons blowing soot all over her clean linens. All three of them were quite adorable though. Aithusa and Sorventh were getting too big to cuddle, but Welhecwen, Haewen, and Basu were all at the perfect size to curl up in the curve of Merlin’s arm. Since she was not doing the laundry, they were all perfectly adorable.

Merlin also distracted herself from Cariad on Beltane. Her parents had arranged all sorts of festivities: dancing, musicians, food, bonfires... Merlin felt a little guilty at having forgotten the holiday entirely, but Uther had just died six days prior. It would probably be in poor taste to have any celebration save Arthur’s coronation so soon after his death. However, away from the citadel, no one could blame her for partaking in the provided festivities. Arthur was a little bemused by the part of the celebration where all the animals were herded around the bonfires for prosperity but he happily drank the mead he was handed and ate the food he was given and once the sun set, he danced around the bonfire with Merlin, somehow managing not to trip over his feet despite not knowing the steps. They joined all the rest of the couples that slunk off into the shadows and the forest as the night grew later. Arthur plucked the golden flowers out of her hair as they kissed. He laid her gently down on the forest floor and they moved together. The next morning, they awoke covered in dew. Despite Merlin’s best attempts at explaining, Arthur refused to agree with her that the blessing in the dew on Beltane made up for their damp clothing and mussed hair.

Of course, Arthur was King now and they could not stay away from the castle for long. They had to return to the citadel on the second day of May, after only four days. Merlin was irritable and grumpy the entire return trip, not having wanted to leave Cariad or any of the dragons. Arthur was in a bit of a temper as well, though he was perfectly content to have left the dragons behind.

Once they reached the citadel, they received a bit of a shock. There was another unexpected visitor. Some strange man with dark hair who was easily the same age as Merlin’s parents was waiting in the courtyard for them. Neither one of them recognized him.

“Who is that?” they both asked each other at the same time.

“Where is Gwaine? Why has he abandoned me to some stranger?” Merlin grumbled. Arthur shook his head.

“What is Leon thinking?” he countered. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done but to ride up and dismount and ask the Goddess to influence the man to introduce himself.

Luckily, he did. Unluckily, he looked extremely suspicious up close.

“Hello, Arthur. My name is Agravaine. I’m your mother’s younger brother.” Neither of them managed to quite process that series of statements into anything that gave them any idea how to respond. Why had this man not been on the list of people to memorize that Maddock had given her? That list had been excruciatingly long. Why would Arthur’s own uncle not make the list when random nobles from kingdoms they had no alliance with who at one point had ancestors on the throne made the list? Merlin simply gawked at the man. Arthur narrowed his eyes in confusion. They all three stood there in awkward, confused silence until Arthur finally replied.

“It is nice to meet you, Uncle,” he said. “This is Merlin, my Consort.” Agravaine’s eyebrows went up in shock, but he did bow to her too. Merlin continued to gawk at the man.  
“Why was your own uncle not on my list of people to memorize?” she finally demanded. Arthur broke down laughing. Agravaine looked much less amused by the situation.  
“I’ll speak to Maddock about the oversight,” Arthur assured her, trying to stifle his laughter. “Shall we go inside?” Agravaine followed them and Merlin stifled the urge to mold herself into Arthur’s side to get away from him. He was just a man. He would leave soon. It would be fine.

They settled in the dining hall with supper and Merlin discovered that it would not be fine because he was not leaving soon.

“I thought I would offer my support for as long as you require it. I know that my relationship with your father was difficult for most of your life, but you are my sister’s only child and I could not conscious leaving you alone at this difficult time in your life.” Agravaine said nothing out of the ordinary in expressing his reasons for pursuing a relationship with his nephew now but Merlin still felt like it was threat of some sort. Apparently Uther had banished him from court at some time during the first wave of the Purge, after Tristan had challenged Uther to a duel to the death for his responsibility for Ygraine’s death and died. Though normally Merlin would make the assumption that anyone Uther disliked was probably someone to befriend, perhaps Agravaine was an exception. Like Nimueh had been an exception by nearly getting Merlin, Arthur, Merlin’s mother, and Gaius killed. Merlin suffered through the meal in silence.

Finally, she and Arthur retired to their chambers alone.

“I don’t like him.”

“My uncle? He said nothing strange, did he? I didn’t notice. I mean, I suppose it’s a bit awkward that Father had banished him and he shows up so soon on the heels of his death, but it’s also understandable.”

“It wasn’t his words,” Merlin agreed. “I just felt strange throughout the entire meal. He said nice things and all I heard were threats. Though your Father was sometimes quick to judge, he did make enough sound decisions to keep the kingdom running, trade flourishing, and alliances strong.”

“You want me to be reserved and not trust him?” Arthur sighed heavily. “Merlin, he’s my uncle. My mother’s brother. What could he possibly hold against me?” Merlin gave him a pointed look and Arthur pretended not to notice it.

“He’s a stranger, uncle or not. Plus, he could be anyone, pretending to be your uncle. The last time you saw this man, you were a babe. You cannot possibly remember him well enough to be certain that man we ate supper with is the same man.”

“Alright,” Arthur nodded. “Odin did just send an assassin for me. We’ll ask Gaius and the other councilors. They will know whether or not it’s the same man. Will that put your mind at ease?”

“Yes. Can we go wake them now?”

“No, we’ll go in the morning. Come to bed.” Merlin huffed irritably but went to bed. The sooner she fell asleep, the sooner it would be morning and she could find out if this strange man was truly Arthur’s uncle. Of course, if he was, that would be a whole new set of problems than if it was simply an imposter.

Merlin’s life was rarely simple. Of course, Gaius and all of the councilors vouched for Agravaine. He was who he claimed to be. Cador had the nerve to say that if he had not been Arthur’s uncle that they would have turned him out of the citadel upon his arrival. At least Gaius had the decency to be sympathetic in regards to Merlin’s distrust of the man, informing Arthur that while Ygraine had been honest to fault and Tristan had been cut from the same cloth, Agravaine had been almost nothing like his older siblings, enjoying intrigues and court gossip. Arthur did not take the hint.

“But Merlin! Agravaine can tell me about my mother! You know Father never spoke of her.”

She was going to kill Arthur herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dragon names in this chapter are all Middle English for the color they are.   
> Additionally, the blessed May dew and herding cows around bonfires were actual original Beltane practices/beliefs.


	3. Cognitive Dissonance

It had been a very long winter for Morgana. She had been alone with her sister in their fortress since mid Fall. There were no visitors. There was no news. Morgause had been fully recovered before the first snow fall and needed no further tending, which Morgana was grateful for but it took away her main source of employment. Morgause was content with the arrangement but Morgana was frequently at loose ends and therefore bored. When Morgause informed her that they would be attending a Beltane feast, she was perhaps a little more excited than was warranted. Though she only smiled brightly at her sister and expressed her pleasure at celebrating the holiday, Morgana had quickly withdrawn to her private chambers to celebrate the news. Morgana loved her sister but Morgause was always sending letters and brewing potions and not good company. Any change of scene would have been welcome at this point simply for novelty.

Morgause had spent much of the time that she deigned to converse with Morgana complaining about Uther and Arthur and Camelot. The complaints about Uther were largely true and Morgana had to agree. But it was clear that Morgause had no real knowledge of Arthur.

“He didn’t even care that Uther killed Ygraine. She told all of us in the room and he goes back home and embraces his father?” Morgause would complain. “Just as callous and uncaring as Uther, he is, no thought for anyone beyond himself.” Morgana had at the beginning tried to argue with her sister, pointing out Arthur’s love for his people, how he had helped her get Mordred out of the citadel, knowing full well the boy was a Druid, how he had ridden like the Devil was after him to kill Uther until Merlin managed to convince him that Morgause had tricked him and it was all a lie. Additionally, if the ban on magic was gone, Arthur had removed it. After several weeks of her explanations and protests falling on deaf ears, Morgana gave up and simply tuned Morgause out whenever she started complaining about Arthur. There was no one else to speak to and therefore it was like cutting off her nose to spite her face to allow herself to quarrel with Morgause.

In the middle of April, Morgana and Morgause left their fortress to begin the trek to the Isle of the Blessed for the Beltane festivities. Morgause was still eschewing company and Morgana often found herself sitting alone in the taverns of the inns they stayed in, listening for news and hoping for conversation.

Thankfully for Morgana’s curiosity, news from Camelot was on everyone’s lips. Arthur taking Essetir had been the last news Morgana had gotten. Apparently, there had been a spate of treaties in the aftermath. Last November, a treaty with Dyfed had been signed. Over the winter, Arthur had taken the title of King-Regent. Apparently Uther had taken ill in some way and never recovered. Morgana wondered if she held any responsibility for that illness, but felt little guilt about it. Arthur had lost the Spring Tournament to Gwaine. After that, Nemeth had visited Camelot about treaty and Camelot was expected to return the visit to sign the treaty sometime soon. In March, a treaty with Rheged had been signed. Right at the same time Morgana and Morgause had left their fortress, Kearia, the foremost witch and highest priestess of the Old Religion had been received at Camelot. Morgana was in more than a little shock at all the positive changes that Arthur had wrought. Magic was legal. Most of his personal knights, the ones anticipated to form Arthur’s council, were commoners. Camelot had doubled in size and was allied with nearly all of Albion. Gwynned, Caerleon and Annis’ kingdom, and Cornwall, Odin’s kingdom, and Gododdin were the only kingdoms not overrun by Picts or Saxons that had no alliance with Camelot. Arthur still had no wife or heirs but Morgana could not remember a kingdom that had ever been so prosperous and well-placed. It was frankly almost unfathomable.

Morgana made the decision to not share the news of Camelot with Morgause, hoping to avoid another of her sister’s rants about Uther and Arthur. As Morgause avoided the taverns like the plague, she did not hear the news herself, and did not realize that there was a reason for Morgana’s quiet demeanor beyond a lack of familiarity with crowds.  
Eventually, they reached the Isle of the Blessed and there was only more news of Camelot.

The Druids there were celebrating being able to follow their traditional paths after two decades of travelling around Camelot.

Several priestesses had gone into Camelot in order to cleanse the sites of Uther’s raids and bless again the holy sites that had been abandoned.

Kearia spoke of how gracious and welcoming Arthur and Merlin had been and how it was nearly certain that Arthur was the Once and Future King to anyone who had the courage to approach her.

The main band of the Catha was present and apparently knew Merlin personally, calling him Little Bird and singing his praises.

The daughter of a dragonlord, something or other Dragonet, had news of Balinor Dragorn being settled back in his lands and fortress, hatching several dragon eggs. There was apparently a handful of baby dragons and the Dragorns had openly hosted their own Beltane festivities. Additionally, it seemed that Uther had imprisoned a dragon under the castle, which was now residing at the Dragorn Fortress. Balinor also had a baby grandson as his heir and an expectant wife.

Several Seers, members of the Vates, were adulating the clear arrival of the Golden Era under the Once and Future King.

Apparently, Morgause was the only one who hated Arthur as well as Uther. 

Morgana spent very little of the fortnight they were at the Isle with her sister. She spoke with the Vates about her Seer gifts, learning quite a bit about how to control them. She was reunited with Mordred, who was just as excited to see her as she was to see him. Mordred, and his safety, had never been far from her thoughts since she had discovered that he had fallen in with that Alvarr. Luckily, he had managed to get back to Iseldir soon afterward, it turned out. Morgana also learned about the Bendruy, a group of women chosen when they were quite young and trained to be priestesses. Apparently her mother had given Morgause to that group when she became pregnant with Morgana. She was not certain if she envied or pitied her sister for the situation. On one hand, Morgana had nearly lost her mind with fear of her visions and training from her earliest youth would have been very much appreciated. On the other hand, Morgause remembered less of their parents than Morgana did. None of the Bendruy remembered their own families with any clarity but they were all extremely well-educated and powerful.

The Beltane celebrations were vaguely familiar to Morgana despite Uther having forbidden them for most of her life. The bonfires, blessed with herbs, smelled like something she associated with her mother. The mead and food tasted like she had partaken of them before despite her lack of memory of celebrating the holiday. Even the ceremony where the priestesses were paired for the evening with a man to celebrate the Goddess’ fertility seemed vaguely familiar. Morgause pulled Morgana up into the line and Morgana was paired with one of the men from the Catha band. 

The night after Beltane, Kearia summoned Morgana to sup with her. She wanted to speak to her apparently. Morgause was livid that she had not been extended the same invitation but Morgana dared not insult the priestess. After the appropriate introductions were made, food was served, and an appropriate amount of light conversation exchanged, Kearia got to the point of the visit.

“I wish to speak to you on a matter that I doubt anyone else has thought to mention to you. No doubt you have heard that Arthur is widely considered to be the one who fulfills the prophecy of the Once and Future King.”

Morgana nodded that she had.

“The prophecies in question speak of a power magic user at the King’s side and the most prosperous era Albion will ever experience. This King will eventually reign as High King over the entire land. But the prophecies also speak of a witch that seems to be you, on the path your sister seeks to lead you down. Emrys, this King’s Court Sorcerer, is always haloed in light in visions and the witch who opposes him is cast in shadow. They say that Emrys is her destiny and her doom. You are an intelligent woman, a strong witch. I liked your mother. If you continue down this path, it will only bring bloodshed and your own death. Of course, I cannot choose for you. If you believe that opposing Arthur is worth your life, and Mordred’s, then by all means, continue down this path. If that seems too great a sacrifice, I would advise you to consider breaking ties with your sister and reconciling with your brother.”

Morgana stared at Kearia for a long moment in complete silence after Kearia finished speaking. No one else had mentioned anything else in the prophecies besides the King to her. It seemed anathema to her to consider breaking ties with her sister not even two years since she had found her, but she had no investment in opposing Arthur, certainly not to the point of losing her own life and leading poor Mordred to his death.

“I thank you for the advice and will certainly take it under due consideration,” Morgana finally managed to reply. She passed the rest of the conversation in a daze.

Kearia somehow managed to have even more shocking news: Uther was dead. Odin had sent an assassin to kill Arthur and the assassin had found Arthur in Uther’s chambers. Uther had been the one to take a fatal wound when they fought him off and he succumbed within four days. Arthur was King.

Morgana wandered back to her sister’s tent in shock and could not answer any of her sister’s questions that night, capable only of making incoherent noises in response. Morgause was still angry about the whole situation, but she eventually stopped asking questions and Morgana fell asleep.

Morgana went straight to the Vates the next morning and asked them to tell her about everything in the Once and Future King prophecies. They substantiated Kearia’s claims. There would be a King who fit several criteria that seemed to match Arthur, he would have a Court Sorcerer known as Emrys, and a shadowed witch opposed them up to her death, championing a man named Mordred to his murder of Arthur that he did not survive. This witch was the darkness to Emrys’ light and the hatred to his love. He was her destiny and doom. Morgana did not want to be that witch.

She shared her fears with her sister and Morgause suggested that they find this Emrys and kill him. If Emrys was dead, he would not be anyone’s doom. Morgana was not certain that was the best course of action, but the idea of a man prophesied to kill her being dead did not sound like a bad course of action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trivia: The Catha member that Morgana is paired with for Beltane is Owen, Aulfric's son. Although Morgana thinks it's all one band because Owen is deferring to his father, it's actually both Aulfric's and Owen's bands celebrating Beltane on the Isle.


	4. A New Council

After Merlin discovered that there would be no quick solution to Agravaine’s presence in the citadel, she remembered that Gwen had to be given a new situation and went to speak with Broderick about what he had found for Gwen. The Steward was quite anxious about her presence and Merlin had absolutely no sympathy. He had been unnecessarily cruel to her when she had arrived by not arranging to have her trained to be Arthur’s manservant and it was only right that now she could return the favor.

“I thought that perhaps Guinevere would not be lowered by being put in charge of the courtiers’ chambers, organizing everything for guests and overseeing their chamber servants and pages. Is that acceptable to you?” Broderick was clearly distressed and uncertain of her reaction. Merlin pretended to consider the matter for a moment before replying.

“That is an acceptable position. Has she been informed? Have you made the appropriate arrangements for her salary?”

“I had thought I would wait for your approval before speaking to Guinevere, but the arrangements are already prepared for her augmented salary. I will go inform her forthwith, with your leave.” Merlin waved him off.

That evening, Gwen tried to insist that it was too much. She had cornered Merlin to explain how she could not take the position.

“I’m only the daughter of a blacksmith! This is too much!”

“Your brother is a knight now and so is your husband. Also, I trust you. You have good judgment. You spent how many years as Morgana’s handmaiden? Are you trying to tell me that you don’t know how to do the job? Because that can be remedied.”

“Of course I know how to do it,” Gwen snapped back. “I know you think that a servant is a servant, but this is a position of great honor. And I’m merely usurping it!”

“I suppose it’s a good thing that I didn’t give you Broderick’s position, then,” Merlin replied. Gwen gawked.

“Steward? Me?”

“Well, I certainly can’t have the wife of a knight emptying chamber pots,” Merlin replied. “I do know that much about all servants not being the same.” Gwen giggled. “So, will you accept the position?”

“Fine, yes, I’ll accept the honor,” Gwen agreed. “But I would like to emphasize that I’m doing this under protest.”

“So emphasized,” Merlin agreed. Gwen left to return to Lancelot for supper and Merlin went to find her own husband for supper. Unfortunately, he was with Agravaine. Merlin ate with Gwaine and Galahad and Leon instead.

 

 

The first day after their return from Merlin’s parents, Arthur supped with his newfound uncle. Agravaine was quite pleased to have been given time so quickly, but with Merlin’s peasant upbringing influencing him, Arthur had simply forgotten that a King ought to make the nobles wait on his leisure. His father had been very good at making them wait almost until they were certain they had been forgotten. He said it revealed their motives. Arthur could not imagine that his mother’s brother could have any sort of ulterior motives or designs, despite the perhaps suspicious timing of his arrival, that might need to be revealed.

Once the formalities had been dispensed with, Agravaine had expressed his honor and Arthur had accepted the accolades, the food was served by a servant Arthur did not recognize. The boy probably had come with Agravaine from whatever castle he had spent the last twenty years in. Unlike Merlin, Arthur was not so uncouth as to ask.

“I suppose that you made time for me so quickly in hopes of hearing more stories of your mother, rest her soul,” Agravaine commented. “I am happy to oblige, but I cannot be certain of what your father, rest his soul, might have told you already.”

“I believe it was painful for him to speak of her. I have heard little of my mother,” Arthur confessed. “I’ve seen her portrait and I know that even the servants speak of her as being good and generous and honest, but I have no idea who she was.”

“It was cruel of him to deprive you of even handed-down memories of her,” Agravaine murmured. “But we all can make hasty decisions under emotional stress, even Kings.”

“Yes,” Arthur nodded. “What do you remember best about my mother?”

“I remember her smile,” Agravaine replied. “She was nearly always smiling. It would change as quickly as the weather, from smug to joyous to proud, but almost all her expressions had a smile. When she frowned, or Goddess forbid cried, Tristan and I would somehow always be at fault, even if she had merely tripped and scraped her knee, because she was always so optimistic about the world. Everything was beautiful and there was goodness in everyone. Or so she thought. I admit that after losing both my siblings within a week, I am not so optimistic.”

“That’s perfectly understandable,” Arthur agreed. “Thinking the best of everyone is easier for those who have not suffered or are somehow blessed by God to see only the good things.”

“Your pretty husband is perhaps a little better at it than a seasoned warrior like you? It must be refreshing.”

“Merlin is far more suspicious than I am,” Arthur replied with a scoff. “Always eavesdropping and running after people trying to ascertain who exactly they’re plotting against. But I freely admit that Merlin is more open to things that aren’t traditional than I am.”

“The peasant knights were your husband’s idea, then?”

“Yes. Merlin also talked me, and half the council, into the wisdom of not having Lot for a neighbor and the advantages of leaving the ban lifted.”

“Yes, your father’s bastard witch daughter lifted the ban,” Agravaine nodded. “I had heard of that. Camelot is the only thing on anyone’s lips these days, nephew. Luckily for you, save your father’s death, of course, it has all been good things. Though I suppose I would not be the first to hint that you need an heir to throne?”

“It’s my life,” Arthur replied curtly. “And I would thank you not to speak of Morgana in that way. She might have been illegitimate but her mother was a noblewoman and our father was a King. Morgana was and is in no way unworthy of the throne. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of Morgause. That woman is a viper. I shudder to think how Morgana has fared under her influence for so long.”

“I have always heard that Morgana was strong-willed and Vivienne was as well. I am certain she will be fine. Speaking of Vivienne, did you know that she and Ygraine were quite close? Almost as close as Ygraine and Nimueh.”

“I had heard. When I finally heard the truth of my birth and my mother’s death, that is.”

“Yes, I imagine that must have been painful for you to discover,” Agravaine murmured. Arthur nodded.

“Such betrayal is hard to comprehend,” he agreed. The conversation redirected to stories of his mother. Agravaine told him about his mother’s coronation, how she had been more nervous than on her wedding day, but still smiling with excitement. Agravaine also told Arthur about how excited and pleased she was when she discovered she was pregnant with him.

“Of course, things did not turn out as planned,” he murmured softly. “She was planning a whole dynasty of children and all the alliances that could be made. She favored a bride from the Western Isle for you, said it would assure peace among the other kingdoms.” Arthur had no interest in his mother’s ideas about who he ought to have married, only whether she would have liked Merlin.

“Thank you uncle, for your advice and the stories, but I fear that I have kept Merlin waiting long enough. I will bid you goodnight.”

“Goodnight, sire.” His uncle bowed to him as Arthur left the room, still thinking of his mother.

 

 

The next morning, Merlin went down to council with Arthur and seemed to notice the same thing that was the reason Geoffrey and Gaius were in attendance: these were Uther’s councilors. Of course, Arthur could retain his father’s councilors, but it was tradition for the new king to appoint at least one new councilor at the beginning of his rule and then replace his predecessors’ councilors as they died. Arthur blinked confusedly at Geoffrey and Gaius’ presence.

“New councilors,” Merlin explained. “You need to decide who you’re keeping and appoint at least one new member.”

Arthur looked around the table: Geoffrey, his assistants Maddock and Bran, Gaius, Lord Owen, Lord Christian, Sir Cador, Sir Bors, Sir Urien. Sir Hector had ended up settling permanently at the castle fortress in what had been Essetir.

“Hector cannot be on my list of councilors, living so far away, but I need him where he is. What title could he be given to compensate being stricken off the list?” Arthur turned to Geoffrey.

“The word you’re looking for is Viceory,” Maddock replied. “A person who rules a territory for their sovereign.”

Geoffrey nodded his agreement and Arthur smiled.

“Then appoint Hector my Viceroy and strike him from the list of councilors.”

“And for the rest of us?” Urien asked tentatively.

“I see no reason to dismiss any of you. You all served me well while my father was ill,” Arthur replied easily. “I should have thought about who I ought to appoint as my new councilors though.”

“It’s understandable it slipped your mind, sire,” Gaius reassured him. “It does not have to be decided this moment. We just thought it would be best to give you a bit of a reminder.”

“Leon,” Merlin suggested. Arthur nodded slowly.

“I believe your uncle is hoping for such a position,” Cador pointed out. “So you ought to take that into consideration.” Arthur kept nodding slowly.

“Any of your other friends? Elyan? You knighted him but he’s still working the forge as a blacksmith,” Owen pointed out. Merlin nodded in agreement.

“Elyan would be a good choice.”

“I will appoint Agravaine now and consider any further additions for a while longer,” Arthur announced. Merlin jolted a little in surprise.

“You are not serious?”

“He’s my uncle, of course I’m serious.”

“Of course, my lord,” Merlin murmured, trying not to make a scene in front of all the gossiping old men. She stood up and left the room. Arthur was going to keep all of his father’s men and take on a man he barely knew simply because the man knew his mother without adding anyone who had proven their loyalty to him? What about his knights? What about Merlin’s father? What about Gwen? Merlin herself? It was hardly abnormal for a Consort to be formally named to the council.

Merlin kept walking and found herself on the parapets. What in the world was Arthur thinking? How could he imagine that this was going to go over well?

Eventually Geraint showed up.

“Gwaine challenged Arthur to a duel for your honor,” he announced as he sat down at her side. “Because he did not mention you or your father for the council. Did he really only add his uncle?”

“Why do you think I’m in a temper?” Merlin snapped. She sighed. “I’m sorry, you know I’m not angry with you. This man may be his family by blood but he’s a stranger. Arthur has no memories of him past his arrival a few days ago. How could he have possibly formed an actual opinion on whether or not Agravaine would make a good councilor in two days?”

“There’s unrest about Arthur showing so much favor to Leon and not immediately naming him to the council,” Geraint murmured.

“Leon was the first name on my lips,” she admitted. “I’ll look out for him.”

“Thank you.”

“I think Arthur’s just still grieving, but it’s less obvious because he has his composure back.”

“Probably,” he agreed. “It’s pretty up here. I always wondered why you came up here but you can see almost to the edge of the world.”

“Certainly seems that way,” Merlin smiled. “Those gray hills on the horizon are only the mountains that used to mark the border to Essetir, though. Everything’s quieter up here too.”

“All you can hear is the wind.”

Merlin and Geraint sat together in companionable silence for a while before they finally agreed they had better go down and ascertain that Arthur and Gwaine had not actually killed one another. Luckily, they had not. Arthur had a blackened eye and broken nose. Gwaine was heavily favoring his right leg. But both were still alive and even conscious. Merlin had a fleeting urge to applaud them but she ignored it, taking the pair to Gaius to suffer his disapproving eyebrow instead.

By the next day, Merlin had talked some sense into Arthur. He appointed both Leon and Elyan to his council and had word sent out that he would appreciate someone whose function could be to advise him on matters of magic. Merlin noticed that the actual notice perfectly described Morgana, but did not chastise him for it or change the wording. It would be nice if Morgana could come home and fill that position. Everyone with knowledge of magic who could feasibly join Arthur’s council or was already on it had other responsibilities to attend to with a higher priority.


	5. Transitions

For the first few days of the new councilors, every member of the council attended the morning discussion. Agravaine mostly kept his mouth shut except to agree with Arthur. The few things he would state an opinion on were to supposedly give his sister’s opinion of the matter. Merlin found that repeated exposure to the man did not endear him to her; it only made her more suspicious of him. Gaius did not seem to trust Agravaine either. Arthur, of course, adored the man. The only thing Agravaine ever spoke against Arthur’s opinion was that he ought to take a wife for the good of the kingdom, and that only mentioned once in the discussion about the impending visit to Nemeth about the treaty.

“Arthur, you really ought to consider the idea of marriage with the Princess of Nemeth. I know you’ve managed the treaty thus far without discussing it, but it would certainly provide a surety against them declaring war,” Agravaine suggested. Merlin wondered how angry Arthur would be if she tossed the man about the room a bit.

“Mithian has no siblings. Camelot and Nemeth combined would dominate Albion and nearly guarantee war with the Saxons,” Leon protested. “I know you are only just coming into these discussions, but we are all well aware of the need for heirs. It will be handled in due time, I am certain. Mithian, however, is far from our best option, especially with the main objective being to avoid war.”

“Leon makes all important points,” Merlin agreed. “Arthur is young and in good health and we are not at war. There is no immediate need for an heir, it can be handled at a later date. Unless, of course, you doubt Gaius’ skill as a physician and expect Arthur to die of a common cold in the next week?”

Agravaine bristled. “Of course I would not question Gaius’ skill. But there are some things even a physician cannot heal.”

“Magic is no longer banned, Agravaine, did not you hear of Morgana having lifted the ban?” Gaius asked. “I think I will be easily able to handle nearly anything Arthur could do to himself.”

“Come now,” Arthur shook his head. “There’s no need for hostilities. Of course a King needs a wife and heirs. Mithian simply is not the best choice, Uncle. Did you not say that my mother favored the idea of a bride from somewhere that would not cause jealousies among the other allied kingdoms?”

“Yes,” Agravaine agreed warily.

“Well, would not my marrying Mithian, who has her own kingdom cause some jealousies?”

“And some concern about Vivian’s honor?” Leon muttered. Elyan turned to him in confusion but Merlin giggled. Owen heard him and laughed too.

“That was not my fault!” Arthur protested. Clearly he had heard Leon too. Leon ducked his head repentantly.

“My apologies, sire.”

“While we’re on the subject of marriage treaties to avoid war,” Christian spoke up, “I think we should consider one of Rheged’s daughters. Carlisle was clearly a skilled strategist.”

“Your advice has been noted,” Arthur replied kindly. “But, the topic at hand is not my wife, but the treaty signing with Nemeth. It’s at the end of the month and we need to make certain that everything is already in place for us to be away.”

Merlin nodded. “Also, we’ll have to take a small entourage. I doubt that Rodor or Mithian would turn on us at this point, they both seem honest and honorable, but Nemeth is closer to Cornwall and Odin is the reason Uther’s dead.”

“Yes, Odin will no doubt have heard of your visit to Nemeth. He might try to take advantage of that, but Cornwall and Nemeth are allied,” Maddock added. “It would be impolitic of him to attack you in Nemeth, but he does seem to be irrational in his grief.”

“You should probably take a few knights and one of the younger councilors, who can also defend themselves,” Cador suggested.

“Yes, that would be a wise decision,” Urien agreed.

It was eventually decided upon that Elyan would be the councilor to accompany them so that Leon could keep training running. Gwaine, of course, was accompanying Merlin and Arthur to Nemeth. Geraint was staying behind with Leon. Lancelot was staying with Gwen, because she had only another month before she was due. Percival and Galahad were also going to accompany them.

Gwen, despite Merlin’s absent-minded forgetfulness, was spending the month in bed, rather than settling into her new position. Lancelot was doting on her as much as possible and many of the servants had taken it in rotation to bring them food from the kitchens so neither had to cook. Merlin went down to visit Gwen and bring her news of the castle when she could. Gwen was in a generally disagreeable mood from her physical discomforts but Merlin was not much better with Agravaine and his suspect tactics to win over her husband, so they complained together and felt much better at the end of the hour.

As the weeks passed, leading up to the visit to Nemeth, Merlin began to notice a bit of a pattern. She was a good half inch taller every time Agravaine walked into the room. Luckily no one else seemed to have noticed, but Merlin was quite certain that she was not doing it. The only logical explanation was that she was pregnant again, even though the idea made her feel vaguely sick.

Merlin spoke to Gaius about it, but mentioned nothing to Arthur. This time it was on purpose. She was not certain she could handle his disappointment if he got his hopes up and she fell off a horse again. Also, it was much more important for her to accompany him to Nemeth than to give him an heir this year. If Merlin had to choose, she would accompany him to Nemeth anyway. If Arthur had the choice, Merlin knew full well that he would insist that she stay in Camelot because he would be fine. Of course, there was no guarantee he would be fine. He had almost died in Camelot with Merlin having tried to provide for his safety only a fortnight prior, after all.

The only thing was that Merlin was vaguely disappointed she had no nausea this time around because it would have been wonderful to vomit all over Agravaine’s finery while he was complaining about her husband not having a wife to give him children.

The thought of how and when she ought to reveal that she was actually a woman sat rather heavily on her mind despite the other perhaps more pressing matters to attend to. When Uther had been alive, even vacant and unable to voice his thoughts, it had been unthinkable for her to admit to being a witch. Now, though, Merlin might be giving Arthur another child, whose birth would have to be recorded appropriately for the child to be recognized as heir. Additionally, Merlin could not help but consider if Morgana finding out that Merlin was a witch might make her a little more likely to return or would it make her feel betrayed instead, that Merlin had not told her? Merlin also turned over the idea of being crowned Queen in her head. When they had first married, Arthur had been eager for her to be Queen at his side. Now she had served the same functions as Consort for months and he was used to keeping her secrets. If Merlin could share Arthur, his marrying a foreign princess would probably be a wise decision, but Merlin knew that she would never be able to live like that.


	6. Visiting Nemeth

Two days before the first of June, the treaty party set out for Nemeth. Merlin and Arthur and Agravaine were all forced into the state carriage. Elyan and Percival and Galahad and Gwaine were on horses. Merlin glared out the window at them. Arthur was laughing at her discomfort.

“I hate all of you!” Merlin called out the window. Gwaine laughed at her distress. Agravaine smiled at Arthur.

“If Merlin wishes to ride, I see no reason why he should not,” Agravaine suggested.

“Merlin stays in the carriage with me,” Arthur stated firmly. Merlin glared at both of them.

“The carriage is death.”

“It is also safer,” Arthur insisted. Unfortunately, she could not argue with that statement. It was true.

The journey was interminable. Merlin hated travelling by carriage. The constant lurching and rocking and the stale air all made her head ache. Of course, Agravaine had no sympathy and talked ceaselessly of Arthur’s legacy and Ygraine. Merlin very much wanted to throttle the man. She was already uncomfortable and irritated and why could he not be silent?

“Ygraine and I were so close growing up,” Agravaine commented at some point. Merlin sat and paid attention. “We spent all our days together.”

“Excuse me?” Merlin murmured. Agravaine eyed her with irritation.

“What, love? Did you say something?” Arthur asked solicitously.

“No, I was simply surprised that the Bendruy allowed Agravaine to live amongst them while Ygraine was being trained.” There was a moment of awkward silence. Agravaine looked like he had stepped in something most unpleasant. Arthur’s shock turned quickly to anger.

“I am certain you meant before and after her training, did you not?” Arthur snarled. Agravaine nodded uncomfortably.

“Do remember I grew up in Ealdor and I am unlikely to be so easy to fool as Arthur,” Merlin chided. “I am aware that your title was given to Tristan upon your sister’s marriage and she was recruited by the Bendruy as a young child. Uther’s behavior was of great interest to his neighbors.”

“I did not intend to mislead,” Agravaine ventured. Merlin rolled her eyes. Arthur was eyeing his uncle suspiciously for the first time. Merlin, instead of feeling pleased, only felt her headache get worse.

It was a very long three days before they finally arrived at the citadel in Nemeth. The citadel was well situated and fortified, easy to defend and difficult to invade. Merlin was impressed. Arthur started murmuring about making improvements to their own citadel.

Rodor and Mithian met them in the courtyard, both of them done up in all their finery. Merlin and Arthur had been cleaned up just outside the citadel as well, wrapped in cloaks despite it being June and crowns on. Rodor and Mithian both expressed their condolences for Uther’s death and Arthur introduced Agravaine and then they were all led inside to guest chambers to freshen up.

Merlin peeled herself out of every stitch of clothing she had on the moment the doors closed behind Mithian. It was entirely too hot and her clothes were sticky. Arthur did the same thing and they both stretched out of the bed.

“Why would Agravaine lie about how much time he spent with my mother? It seems a stupid thing to lie about.”

“It really is,” Merlin agreed. “I’m sure he’s trying to keep your favor by telling you about your mother but Nimueh and Vivienne are both dead. There’s no one who was closer to her still alive to tell you her most intimate thoughts. So she spent ten years in training to be a priestess and maybe saw her family twice in that time. He then knew her as a fully formed person for quite a few years after that. Training ends at 16 and I believe she was several years older than that when she first met Uther, forget married him and did not conceive for long enough that her own friend turned on her in favor of continuing her husband’s family line.”

“I think my parents were married at least five years before I was born,” Arthur agreed. “And Agravaine lived mainly at court for that time. I imagine my mother probably returned home after her training when she wasn’t chosen to be a priestess, so they spent those years together too. That’s plenty of time to tell me about.”

“Usually, people have some sort of reason when they do something strange like this,” Merlin pointed out.

“Do you trust no one?” Arthur asked, laughing a little.

“I trust you, and Gwaine, and Gwen, and Lancelot…” Merlin paused and thought. “I trust Leon.”

“That’s a nice long list,” he teased. Merlin swatted at him, even as she laughed herself.

Of course, they had to get back up and get dressed soon enough. There was a feast to welcome them, because that was the appropriate protocol for royal visitors. Merlin managed to convince Arthur that she did not need to wear a cloak and grinned unrepentantly at him all evening while he was flushed pink with heat because she still had her normal complexion.

The feast was lovely. The food was delicious. The wine was sweet. Gwaine did not make a fool of himself. Agravaine managed not to insult anyone. Arthur and Rodor had a lovely conversation about the responsibility of ruling a kingdom. Merlin and Mithian chatted about nothing in particular: the weather, the food, the attentiveness of the servant at the high table, the origin of the wine. It was quite lovely to have a light conversation and mostly forget about Arthur’s uncle.

The next morning, they had the treaty signing ceremony. Rodor made a speech about alliances and friendship. Arthur made a speech about choosing to sow peace for future generations. Merlin thought that her words sounded lovely coming out of Arthur’s mouth. Mithian made a toast to peace. Merlin made a toast to friendship. Then, finally, Rodor and Arthur signed the treaty. Camelot and Nemeth were officially allied.

Of course, because the journey was three days in a carriage, they did not immediately leave following the signing. They stayed in Nemeth for several days more, sending a messenger to Camelot to assure everyone that the treaty signing had gone to plan.

There were several entertainments planned for the remaining days and a feast every night. Rodor even had a personal fool who would do tricks and sleight of hand for them. Merlin was enchanted with the juggling and disappearing egg. This boy managed to fool everyone into not noticing that he had slipped a large object up his sleeve without using any magic! It was impressive! Arthur did not agree, of course. He would not be pleased.

The afternoon following the treaty signing, there was a demonstration of skill from Rodor’s knights. They put on a series of duels that were mainly to show off their footwork and swordplay. There was clearly no animosity or grudges, only a genial show of skill. Merlin was duly impressed by the knights. Of course, then Arthur and Gwaine could not be outdone and had to offer to duel themselves. Galahad actually groaned aloud and Merlin laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair. Arthur pouted.

“Have they still not made up?” Mithian asked, face alight with amusement.

“Well, part of the problem is that Gwaine is in love with me and Arthur cannot stand it,” Merlin admitted. “So they keep getting mad at each other all over again after they make up.”

“Oh, that’s a pretty story for a minstrel,” Rodor commented. “A King and his knight fighting over the Consort… It would make a lovely ballad.”

“I’ve always thought I would make the perfect hero in a minstrel’s ballad,” Gwaine declared.

“You have the hair for it,” Mithian agreed. Arthur pointed his sword at Gwaine.

“Your eyes are prettier, Arthur, I promise,” Merlin called out teasingly. Arthur shook his head without turning to look at her, but he was also clearly fighting to keep a smile off his face.

Arthur won the duel. Gwaine had to change trousers before supper because he had been knocked in the dust several times before he conceded defeat to his King. Mithian and Merlin had been highly amused by the situation and discussed Arthur and Gwaine’s antics at supper.

The following morning, they left straight after breakfast for an all-day hunt. Merlin was not pleased that Arthur insisted that she must go with him. Arthur was understandably pleased to get a chance to go on a hunt. As it turned out, Merlin got no sympathy from Mithian about being dragged on a hunt. The hunt had been Mithian’s idea because she enjoyed the activity and, like Arthur, usually had responsibilities keeping her in the castle.

They all rode out, Merlin able to at least take pleasure from the warm breeze and soft sunlight. Arthur and Mithian were happily chatting about the hunt, the prospect of bringing back meat for supper. Rodor was watching them with a fond smile.

By the end of the day, it was clear that Mithian was far more skilled than Arthur at hunting. Mithian had brought down a stag and three rabbits. Arthur had been just too slow to beat Mithian to the deer and had nothing to show for his day in the forest. Merlin was a little amused by the situation. Mithian was clearly pleased with her success and Rodor pleased for her. Arthur was clearly confused as to how this had happened to him. Agravaine looked equally bewildered. Gwaine had decided that it was the best day ever and he had never been so pleased by any other circumstances in his entire life. It was a trifle embarrassing, but thankfully Galahad almost pushed Gwaine off his horse and he stopped crowing about Arthur’s defeat and laughing like an idiot.

The feast that night was the most festive by far, because they were leaving in the morning. A kingdom could not be left without a ruler for too long and given the travelling distance, they would have been gone a full week by their return already. Rodor’s fool played all of his tricks for Merlin and then a minstrel sang of Arthur and Gwaine’s ridiculousness. Merlin nearly fell over laughing despite the fact the man had managed to make them sound dignified and courageous for their petty squabbling. Mithian was delighted that there was now a ballad about people she had actually met. Merlin and Arthur both enjoyed themselves.

The next morning, when they were roused at dawn and had to bid farewell to Rodor and Mithian and then get into a carriage was much less enjoyable. Merlin and Mithian had bonded over Arthur being ridiculous and each considered the other a close friend now. They neither one wished to be parted so soon, but it was required of them. Arthur extended an invitation to both Rodor and Mithian to visit any time.

Somehow, they found themselves in the carriage, an hour outside of the citadel, heading back towards Camelot. Merlin had the hiccups and Agravaine’s mere presence was giving her an extreme headache. Arthur was clearly trying to sleep through at least part of the journey but the carriage jolted at every dip or rock in the road and Merlin made a soft noise, jumping a little, every few seconds. It was not exactly conducive to sleeping.

Thankfully, rather than talking ceaselessly, Agravaine kept his mouth closed for much of the journey. Rather than it being an interminable journey, it was merely a trifle awkwardly silent journey. The three days still passed very slowly in the carriage. Gwaine and Galahad raced each other down to a given tree on the side of the road and back while Elyan and Percival kept abreast of the carriage, all passing a more pleasant journey.

On Saturday, they finally arrived back in the citadel at Camelot. Merlin and Arthur were both quite pleased to be back in their own chambers again with no repeat experience of a carriage journey in their near future. Arthur took Leon’s reports and Merlin talked to Geraint about the urgent audiences he had seen to. Thankfully, he had managed to handle the three incidents, because they were small disputes about pig ownership, sheep ownership and whose responsibility it was to mend a fence felled by a runaway cow.


	7. Family

As the days passed and everyone fell back into their usual routine, Merlin noticed a strange tenderness in her chest. Her shirts, no matter how soft to her fingers, felt rough. Her bathwater was uncomfortably warm. Unfortunately, Merlin could not ignore the clear signs of pregnancy, because Arthur had noticed. He was very concerned for her health.

“If you do not go speak to Gaius, I will,” Arthur warned, voice low because even though a corridor might look empty, it rarely was. If they had stayed in their chambers to argue in private, though, they would be late to council and that was impolite.

“Fine,” Merlin agreed. “Though I think you’re over-reacting. I’m certain there’s nothing to worry about.”

“What are you two fretting about?” Leon asked with a broad grin.

“Are there congratulations in order?” Merlin asked. “You seem exceptionally happy this morning.”

“No,” Leon replied, flushing brightly. Merlin giggled. Arthur shook his head.

“I want Merlin to go speak to Gaius today,” Arthur answered Leon’s question. “Nothing serious, of course…” Leon’s eyes dropped to her stomach. Arthur’s brow furrowed in thought. Merlin swatted at both of them.

“I am fine. I believe that we’re supposed to be discussing crops today.”

“We are,” Owen agreed. “You might be feeling well, but Leon, you look a little flushed. Are you feeling well?”

“I am quite well,” Leon replied. “It’s the heat, I think.”

“Yes, it can get damnably hot, even inside,” Cador agreed. “Oh, speaking of heat, I must remind you that I’m leaving for my daughter’s wedding on the morrow. She took forever decorating her gown, insisting that she did not want to be outdone on her wedding day, but finally we’ve gotten everything settled. I’ll be back in a fortnight.”

“Of course,” Arthur nodded. “Pass on our congratulations.”

“I will, of course.”

“Congratulations?” Agravaine asked as he entered the room.

“My younger daughter is getting married. I was reminding everyone that I leave first thing tomorrow.”

“Ah, congratulations, indeed,” Agravaine said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Cador replied.

“To business?” Elyan asked. “Crops seem to be doing well…”

After council, Arthur and Leon put Merlin in Elyan’s care to go to Gaius’. Merlin rolled her eyes but was glad for the chance to ask after Gwen. Merlin went to visit Gwen whenever she was able, but she knew that Gwen would put on a brave face for her no matter what. Thankfully, Elyan assured her that Gwen was in fine health, only easily tired with the baby expected so soon.

Elyan left her at the door to Gaius’ chambers and Merlin waited while Gaius finished chastising a young girl for climbing trees. She most likely had fallen, but it must not have been too high because she only had a bandage on her knee.

“I know you’re supposed to be helping your mother, not outside running amok,” he chided. “Alright, run along and behave yourself. Change the bandage first thing in the morning.” The girl did, blushing furiously at Merlin as she passed.

“Gaius,” Merlin smiled at him and closed the door.

“What’s wrong?”

“My breasts hurt all the time.”

“That is a common symptom of pregnancy,” Gaius replied calmly. “What sort of hurt? Would you like a pain potion or some sort of salve?”

“The bathwater hurts and all my shirts are too rough.”

“A salve,” Gaius said agreeably. He puttered about, chopping up herbs. Merlin dropped into his chair, out of the way, and waited patiently.

“I’m grateful I can eat bacon, don’t get me wrong, but would it not be lovely if I could just vomit all over Agravaine’s boots?”

Gaius smiled but quickly hid the expression. “Now, Merlin, you know better than to say such things about Arthur’s dear uncle. Someone might think you were in earnest.”

“Haven’t you noticed he’s not quite so dear? Did I tell you what idiocy he tried to tell Arthur on the way to Nemeth?”

“No, I don’t believe you did. Tell me.”

“He said that he and Ygraine spent all their days together growing up. Then he had the nerve to be surprised when I told him that I knew that was a lie.”

“Oh, that was awkward for him,” Gaius did not even try to fight his smile. Merlin nodded, smiling herself as she remembered. “No wonder Arthur’s not eaten supper with him since.”

“Exactly,” Merlin agreed. Gaius turned around and motioned her to stand up, a poultice in his hands.

“Now, what did I tell you about hot bathwater?” he asked as he spread the salve on her chest. It felt so much better.

“It’s barely warm!”

“You give Arthur two children and then you can flit around and bathe in steaming water. Until then, cool water is best.”

“Yes, Gaius,” Merlin agreed, just to get him to stop.

“Good. Now, this is just 2 parts crushed mint to 1 part crushed marigold and St. John’s wort, so you can make more yourself.”

“Mint, marigold, St. John’s Wort, 2 to 1,” Merlin echoed obediently.

“Good girl. Run along. Cool water baths.”

“I have been,” Merlin grumbled as she left.

That afternoon, it rained heavily. There was no one wanting an audience and Arthur decided against training in the rain. Merlin and Arthur locked themselves in their chambers and hid from the world for a few hours. Merlin still did not want to get Arthur’s hopes up, but she did assure him that Gaius thought she was just fine. The fact that Gaius had slathered some herbs on her chest rather than poking and prodding for hours went a long way towards reassuring Arthur that she truly was going to be fine.

As Midsummer approached, it became obvious to everyone that Agravaine had done something on the trip to Nemeth and no longer had so much of Arthur’s favor. Arthur had not turned his uncle out or kicked him off the council, but he did not give his uncle so much attention as he had. Agravaine was clearly distressed by the fall from favor but there was little he could do about it. He had lied to Arthur and it had been so quickly revealed that Arthur could not have forgotten the contradictory information. Given that the lie had been about something that it made little sense to lie about, Agravaine had no recourse to convince Arthur of his general honesty or trustworthiness.

Merlin was given a bit of a surprise when her father showed up at the castle unannounced. At least, she had not been informed of his coming. Arthur apparently had planned it. Balinor was to join his council, even though it would be understood that he would spend much of his time away from the castle. Her father, out of kindness to her mother, had brought all the dragons. There were five dragons that fit inside the castle and Kilgarrah. There was a bit of mass panic in the citadel. Merlin valiantly tried not to laugh at the servants’ fear and the nobles’ posturing as she assured them that the dragons meant them no harm.

It was a very humorous several days. There were five small dragons blowing soot on everything and everyone and making a general mess. Arthur scandalized all of Uther’s councilors by not only lifting Balinor’s banishment, but re-conferring his title, welcoming his dragons, and naming him to the council. There was an uproar in the nobles’ wing. They could not believe what Arthur had done. Of course, once they got a chance to think, about the fact both of Uther’s children had been born of witches and Morgana had inherited her mother’s abilities and now the ban on magic was lifted and Arthur had welcomed Kearia not two months prior, it all made more sense and they settled back down. But for the first several hours, Gwaine was clearly guarding his mother from all the noblemen rushing back and forth between each other’s chambers to gossip.

Balinor left, with all Merlin’s love to her mother and Cariad two days before Midsummer. There was unfortunately no festivity planned for Midsummer in the citadel beyond a feast but there were to be festivities at the Dragorn Fortress that Balinor had to be present for.

Arthur had entirely too much wine at the Midsummer feast. Gaius had insisted that Merlin could not follow suit. It was very irritating how Gaius felt the need to micromanage her entire life but Merlin was grateful that he had suggestions that were supposed to help. Never experiencing the horrible days she had had in March again would be too soon. Arthur fell asleep the moment Merlin dropped him on the bed, but Merlin lay awake listening to the peaceful sound of rain on the windowpanes for a long moment.

She still had no idea how they were going to tell everyone that really she was Arthur’s wife but it seemed to her that the news being coupled with news of his heir might soothe people’s distress. There was also the small issue of her father being added to the council and the rumors that were now going around because her idiot father had said he lived in his own fortress when everyone knew that had been Merlin’s wedding present. Those rumors were all about the possibility of Merlin being Balinor’s child and having magic, which were all true. Additionally, they were no longer treasonous. But having kept all of that a secret from Uther and therefore everyone else meant that it might look suspicious however they made the announcement now.

Two days past Midsummer, Gwen finally gave birth. Elyan and Lancelot went and fetched everyone to wait in the street with them because the midwife had shooed them out of the house. Merlin thought it was rather humorous image: the King, his Consort, half his knights, and two councilors were all huddled outside a house in the lower town, in the rain, waiting for news of a baby’s birth. Merlin spent the time praying to the Goddess for Gwen and the baby while the men distracted themselves with idle chatter. As always, the prayers worked. The baby was born relatively swiftly and without complications. It was a healthy baby girl and Gwen was exhausted but somehow awake and smiling as everyone rushed into the house to get out of the rain. Gwen seemed to glow and Lancelot was incandescent.

“So, what are you naming her?” Merlin asked.

“Vivienne,” Gwen replied.

“A fine name,” Arthur agreed. There was a small pause, where there was no Morgana to insist that Gwen had no obligation to name her daughter after Morgana’s mother. After another round of congratulations and assurances that Vivienne was a beautiful and fitting name, everyone save Lancelot headed back up to the castle to let Gwen sleep. It might have been a relatively short birth but they had been out in the rain for several hours and Gwen had to be tired.

Merlin and Arthur both ordered baths when they got back. Arthur wanted a steaming bath. Merlin, remembering Gaius’ admonitions, ordered a moderately warm bath. Arthur did not question her, knowing that the warm water had hurt her chest, but Adara’s eyes narrowed in thought. Merlin carefully did not react and only smiled at her friend.

Adara said nothing to Merlin, but Merlin was not surprised that Adara had guessed her secret and there was a rumor going around the servants the next day that perhaps the reason Arthur felt no reason to take a wife was that he already had one.

Given that she still had no idea how to handle the situation, Merlin pretended not to have heard them. She knew that the reason she had overheard was that the maids wanted an answer and had hoped if she heard the rumor she would address it, but this was something that would have to be addressed officially, not blurted out to two random chambermaids fluffing her pillows.

Was it perhaps time she brought this up to Arthur?


	8. Search for Emrys

Morgause, having learned from her previous mistake in relying solely on the spell on Cenred’s men and the ability she had egregiously assumed Morgana had to strategize under pressure, had back up plans this time. While she did not see how Camelot could possibly stand through the Dorocha being unleashed on the kingdom, leaving the populace unnerved and ready for change for Morgana to take her rightful place on the throne, she had also put Agravaine in place as a potentially useful ally or spy. Uther’s death could not have been more convenient, for her plans, at least. The ritual to unleash the Dorocha could only occur on Samhain and Morgause had not had time to recover, much less convince Morgana to go along with her plan by the previous one. Therefore, they had a few months yet to indulge the dear girl in her distress about this Emrys person. 

Morgause, personally, had doubts about prophecies. They were often only flashes of images that were then put down as a full story by a fallible person who probably made assumptions and then had to be handed down orally for generations. Forgive her for not assuming that no one had made a single error in all that time. But Kearia had succeeded in her aim of frightening Morgana and Morgause could turn it to her own advantage. So she did. Agravaine was directed to begin asking around about a sorcerer named Emrys. This fellow was prophesied to be some king of Camelot or other’s Court Sorcerer, after all. He had to come to Camelot at some point. Someone had to have heard of the man before, surely.

Unfortunately, Agravaine’s queries seemed to come to dead ends. Morgause wondered again if the prophecy was faulty. Unfortunately, Morgana would not hear reason and Morgause took to sneaking sleeping draughts in her wine and supper to ascertain her sister got enough sleep, rather than staying up through the night in a terror that this Emrys would sneak into her chambers in the dark and kill her unawares. Morgause thought that seemed rather unbefitting of a prophetic end, but Morgana was simply beside herself with worry.

Morgause herself was more interested in the rumor Agravaine had passed on that had begun amongst the servants: one of them thought that perhaps Arthur’s Consort was not a man, but a witch in disguise and that was why Arthur felt no hurry to take a wife. Agravaine, in his myopic ignorance, thought the rumor laughable and had apparently hoped it would amuse her enough to make her more forgiving of the lack of any Emrys figure. However, servants always knew things they ought not to. Had Merlin not interfered, having once been a servant himself, or perhaps herself, the plot using Sefa to murder Uther would have worked perfectly. No one in a position of power suspected servants. They were supposed to be perfectly obedient. So they were quiet instead and their masters forgot they were there and they learned all sorts of interesting secrets. If, indeed, this rumor was true, that could present a rather serious problem. As it stood, Arthur was a King with a male Consort and no heirs or bastards. It would be easy for his sister to take the throne if he showed weakness during a crisis by being unable to do anything. However, a King with a potentially pregnant wife was an entirely different story because Morgana was unmarried and had no children to inherit the throne from her. The most obvious way for a servant to have noticed is to have actually seen Merlin either using magic or switching from male to female, but then the rumor would hold more weight, even from a servant. Merlin or Arthur would have been obliged to either admit the truth of it or silence the servant in question for lying. As it stood, no one had addressed the rumor or made any attempt to discover the source. That meant the proof was less blatant. A female chambermaid would easily recognize the symptoms of pregnancy though, and even a witch could not avoid them entirely. Morgause was not pleased with the possibility of this development at all. She needed her sister to be able to focus. This Emrys problem needed to be resolved quickly.

Morgause wrote back to Agravaine, informing him that he had better find someone who at least recognized the name and get something of substance out of them before she lost patience with him. They could employ less than honorable methods of interrogation if Agravaine was not as capable of inviting confidences as he had claimed.

 

Merlin noticed that Agravaine seemed to be asking around about something or other. Unfortunately for her sanity, given that she was unwilling to answer the rumors about her, no one was sharing answers with her and Gwen was still home with her precious daughter. So all Merlin knew was what she could infer from Agravaine’s increasingly short temper. If he had discovered what he wanted to, he would probably be pleased or plotting to overcome the obstacle. As he was instead shouting at the chambermaids until they cried and then someone complained to Merlin and Merlin had to shout back at him, he was clearly getting nowhere in his quest. Although the shouting was distressing enough for the girls, so far it had only been shouting and Merlin had been able to speak to him about not taking his temper out on the chambermaids without bringing the matter to Arthur’s attention. However, Merlin’s patience was running out as quickly as Agravaine’s was and she feared his temper would escalate proportionately. If he raised his hand to one of the servant girls, Merlin was not certain how severe her reaction might be.

Of course, Agravaine was not Merlin’s only concern. Gaius’ patience with Merlin in particular was also running out. He was certain she was not following his instructions to protect the life growing inside her and he could not openly take her to task for it for fear of her secret being revealed unintentionally. So he was constantly eyeing her with his eyebrow of disapproval. It was difficult not to notice and Arthur was not an idiot. He noticed. He wanted an explanation. Merlin did not want to give him one. There was quite a bit of tension in the castle: the servants were wary of Agravaine, Agravaine was clearly frustrated, Arthur was indignant about Merlin not telling him everything, Gaius was disapproving, Merlin was stressed, and the knights were irritable from the heat during training despite council and training having swapped times at Midsummer. No one was happy except Gwen and Lancelot down in the lower town with Vivienne.

Eventually, Agravaine’s fruitless search led him to try speaking to Gaius. Despite Gaius’ suspicions of Merlin not following his advice, he immediately came to her with Agravaine’s questions. He was looking for a name out of a prophecy: Emrys. Merlin felt her heart stop for a moment.

“He asked you what?”

“He asked me what I knew about someone named Emrys,” Gaius replied. “Of course, I told that man nothing, but I thought it should be brought to your attention.”

“Considering Kearia herself called me that name, yes, I daresay you’re right to bring it to my attention.” It was Gaius’ turn to blanch.

“What in the world could he be looking for?”

“I think someone’s finally realized Arthur’s the Once and Future King who isn’t pleased about it,” Merlin replied. “The prophesied Court Sorcerer would be a good place to start dismantling the prophecy, would it not?” Morgause and Morgana certainly would not benefit from the prophecy coming to fruition with their current alliances. There were likely others, like Alined trying to ruin the treaty of 5 Kingdoms because his money came from making war.

“But Agravaine would surely want to ally himself with a man who seems to be becoming High King of all Albion?” Gaius countered. “He seeks power and therefore cannot be relied upon but who could be more powerful?” Depended on your definition of power, did it not? Oh…

“How close were Agravaine and Vivienne?” Merlin rejoined. Gaius made a dejected noise of understanding.

“Close enough for Morgause or Morgana to have enlisted his help easily enough,” Gaius agreed.

“Given that it was that prophecy that poisoned Kilgarrah against Morgana because she was prophesied to turn against Arthur and die by Emrys’ hand, I would imagine that if somehow Morgana heard of that prophecy and realized she was the witch, she would want to avoid that fate.”

“Perhaps by preemptively killing the one she fears will kill her,” Gaius finished her thought. “Luckily, no one knows you by that name. They will find nothing.”

“Regardless, keep on your guard. Arthur will not want to believe Agravaine might be sympathetic to Morgause without clear proof but we also don’t want a squadron of knights dead waiting on clear proof.”

“Quite true,” Gaius nodded. “Poor Arthur has lost too much family too recently to handle a betrayal well. At least he understood that Morgana was acting out of fear, not hatred of him, but from Agravaine, what reason could ameliorate his having chosen Uther’s lover’s daughters over his own flesh and blood?”

Though Merlin had warned Gaius to keep on his guard, she was certainly not expecting it when Gaius disappeared from his chambers in the middle of the night only two days later. She and Arthur were roused in the early hours of the morning by Geraint, who had been among those supposed to relieve the guards in the courtyard, only to find them all fast asleep. Upon taking them up to Gaius’ chambers, it became clear that he was nowhere to be found. Merlin, reaching out with her magic, found no indication as to Gaius’ whereabouts, though she got the feeling whoever had abducted him had magic. In her panic, Merlin almost rushed out of their chambers in her proper body and Geraint had to block her path before it occurred to her.

While Arthur was arranging a search party, Agravaine attempted to convince him that it was over-hasty to assume anything had happened to him.

“What enemies could Gaius possibly have?”

“Oh? The physician to a man growingly believed to be the subject of a prophecy about a High King over all Albion? I cannot imagine what someone of an unscrupulous nature might want with him,” Merlin snarled back. “Uther died protecting Arthur from an assassin. Do you truly think that there is no possible reason for someone to want the physician of a King?”

“Tasters and guards are not mere decorations,” Leon agreed vehemently. “Any perceived threat to the Court Physician must be assumed to be a threat to the King himself. After all, the last person who tried to oust Gaius threatened Morgana’s life and nearly succeeded in killing Uther. We cannot wait around in hopes that a man of Gaius’ age is having a midnight tumble in the woods when the guards were clearly all knocked unconscious. One guard falling asleep is a problem to be addressed but six guards laid out on the ground at their posts is clearly an attack.”

“Merlin and Leon make excellent points, do they not, Uncle?” Arthur smiled mirthlessly. “I might be over-reacting but I would rather mildly embarrass Gaius than tarry and end up bringing back his dead body. He’s an old man. Even an hour might condemn him.”

“Of course,” Agravaine bowed his head submissively. “Forgive my misstep. I was not aware of the situation with the guards.”

“Ah, an understandable mistake, then,” Arthur replied mildly. He turned to Merlin. “I’ll be back soon, love.”

“I’m going with you,” Merlin replied firmly.

“It…”

“Don’t you talk to me about dangerous, Arthur,” she warned, cutting him off. “Gaius is like family to me and I will not sit here like a useless bump on a log.” Arthur conceded, helping her onto Llamrei. Arthur hurriedly mounted Hengroen.

“Is it not perhaps ill-advised for the King to go looking for his own enemies?” Agravaine suggested quietly.

“I will not be a coward King who hides behind his guards and walls while his people suffer,” Arthur replied. He wheeled Hengroen around and raced out of the courtyard, Merlin on his heels.

Luckily, there was a clear path to follow in the forest outside the citadel. Arthur was at the front, Merlin behind him, Gwaine behind her, Geraint behind him and Leon bringing up the rear. They rode west, giving the horses little consideration. It seemed that whoever they followed had not given consideration to their own mounts and they had also had too much of a head start. Soon enough, their destination became clear.

“The Ridge of Kemeray,” Arthur called back to Merlin and the knights. “We’ll have to search the caves and mining tunnels.”

“If you get bit by a Questing Beast again, I’m never letting you out of the castle again,” Merlin warned.

“I can lead training,” Leon called up. Arthur turned around, looking simultaneously amused and shocked.

“Whose side are you on?”

“The side that ends with you alive,” Leon explained.

As they closed in on their destination, they all fell silent again. They could not know who they would find and there was no reason to make their presence obvious to any possible lookouts. Thankfully, there seemed to be no lookouts outside the caves. Additionally, Merlin could feel through her magic that Gaius was nearby. Unfortunately, there was at least one powerful witch or warlock with him, probably two. That was probably why there were no lookouts. They were not concerned about someone stumbling onto them.

“There’s at least one powerful witch or warlock, more likely two,” Merlin announced as they dismounted at the entrance.

“We’ll be on guard,” Arthur agreed. “Come take point.”

As they slowly made their way through the caves, there was no sight of anyone. The caves were lit with torches but other than that there was almost no sign of life. The ground of the caves was a red mud that showed footprints, a clear indication of the directions travelled. Merlin led the way, so that she could fend off any magical attack without the knights taking the brunt.

They entered the cave in which Gaius had been held, to discover that his captors had left, at least temporarily. Gaius was lying unconscious on a rock slab in the center of the open space. Merlin rushed to his side, heedless of the possibility of anyone in any of the dark corners. Luckily, there were no attacks as she reassured herself that Gaius was alive.

“He will recover?” Arthur asked from her side.

“Yes. It was some sort of mental attack, I think. Physically, he should only need some rest,” Merlin replied. Geraint and Gwaine lifted Gaius, closest to a height with each other. Leon drew his sword. They retreated back to the horses but Merlin had to know who had taken Gaius. Arthur seemed to have the same thought.

“You take him back to the horses and get back to Camelot. Don’t wait on us. We’ll take care of whoever this is.”

“Be careful,” Leon begged. Arthur met his eyes and nodded.

“I’ll bring him back safe,” Merlin promised.

“Yourself too,” Gwaine insisted.

“Myself too,” she agreed. Gwaine, Geraint, and Leon went back the way they came. Merlin followed the magic down the other tunnel with Arthur at her heels, his sword drawn.

Merlin was perhaps less surprised to see Morgause than she ought to have been. Arthur was shocked enough for the both of them.

“Oh, I had not expected such an illustrious rescue party,” she said with a laugh on her lips. “King Arthur and his pretty Consort themselves!”

“What did you want with Gaius?” Merlin demanded.

“Some information,” Morgause replied. “Nothing to worry yourself about. He should live.”

“Indeed he should,” a man suddenly standing behind her spoke. This was the warlock who had abducted Gaius, Merlin was certain.

“Alator,” Morgause greeted him evenly, “Did you get the information I asked you about?”

“Yes,” Alator nodded. “Gaius told me everything.”

“Oh?” she spun around, surprise on her face. Interesting… “So you know who this Emrys is?” Merlin felt Arthur stiffen behind her. She made a shushing motion with her hand.

“Indeed I do,” he agreed.

“Well?” Morgause demanded. “Who does Morgana want dead?” there was a pause, “Oh, please don’t tell me it’s that little boy she’s fond of.”

“It is not the Mordred,” Alator replied. “But more than that I will never tell you. I knew that name rang a bell and Gaius reminded me why. I will not betray the Once and Future King or his Sorcerer.” Morgause groaned audibly.

“My sister is convinced some shade is going to kill her in her sleep,” she snapped. “Can you not give me anything?”

“I suggest you see the light and convince your sister to do the same. Prophecies can be averted, but not by the method your sister seeks.”

“I cannot believe this,” Morgause murmured. She waved dismissively at Alator and turned to face Merlin and Arthur. “But perhaps I don’t need this Emrys to quiet Morgana’s fears. Without a King, there is no sorcerer, after all.”

“I cannot let you do that,” Alator said quietly. He raised his hand and before Morgause could recognize what he was doing, he knocked her unconscious with a wave of his hand. She crumpled to the ground. Alator crossed the space and knelt at Merlin’s feet. “Merlin, Little Bird, I am Alator of the Catha. I am honored to be of service.”

“Get up,” Merlin bade him. “I should kneel at your feet in gratitude.”

“No, my queen, you should not,” Alator protested. “Go. Get back to your castle. I’ll take Morgause to her sister.”

“Will you take a message to Morgana?” Arthur asked impulsively. “She’s my sister too and I miss her. I want her to come home and join my council.”

“Of course I will convey your wishes for you,” Alator agreed. “Now go return to your castle where it’s safer. But I should warn you, Morgause was able to give me disturbingly exact instructions for Gaius’ abduction. I suspect you have a traitor in your midst.”

“Thank you for your warning,” Merlin murmured. She and Arthur turned back and made their way out of the caves. The knights had left as ordered and the horses were still waiting. They rode back to Camelot at a fast pace but not quite so quickly as they had left.

It was mid-day by the time they reached the citadel. Gwaine was pacing in the courtyard. Gaius had woken, lucid and not in any pain, sometime during the morning and was napping. Merlin thought she would spend the rest of the day at his side, nursing him. But Arthur had caught that Morgana thought that Emrys would kill her and knew Emrys was Merlin. He wanted to discuss it. Explaining to Arthur the reasons why Kilgarrah had hated Morgana and advocated killing her at every turn was a rather awkward conversation.

“So according to this prophecy, Morgana will become a cruel tyrant?”

“It’s a confluence of several prophecies to form the entire story. Prophetic visions are often short images,” Merlin reassured him. “But yes, at least one indicates that Morgana could inherit Uther’s method of dealing with grief. She is the reason that Mordred kills you and for that, I kill her.”

“I pray that none of that ever comes to pass,” Arthur murmured. “I would give all my rights to the throne if I knew it would avert that tragedy.”

“There is no indication that Morgana is beyond hope yet,” Merlin reminded him. “Let’s see how she responds to Alator telling her you wanted her to come home before we start panicking too. As Alator said, prophecies can be averted. Emrys was expected to be a man, your mentor. Perhaps we are already on a slightly different path. The story about a kingdom being lost for want of a horseshoe nail can also be true for positive outcomes.”

“That’s true,” Arthur agreed. “There is not yet reason for panic. Perhaps Morgana will come home, or write.” Merlin agreed. They could always hope.


	9. Morgana's Answer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Alator's POV at the beginning. It sort of solidifies his thought process in turning on Morgause, if you missed the clue in Alator calling Merlin the same nickname the Catha she knew call her.

Alator, despite his complete disgust with the priestess now he knew her true motives, took her back to Morgana as he had promised Aulfric’s Little Bird. What a surprise that had been: his old friend’s favorite witch child was the long awaited Emrys. The physician had not entirely realized what he was saying to Alator, when he finally broke. Most people broke in minutes under the ritual Morgause had bade him use. Gaius had held out for hours. Alator had been impressed with his loyalty and mental strength. But eventually, he had broken and given the information they wanted. Thankfully Morgause had lost patience after the first quarter hour or so- the ritual inflicted mental anguish rather than physical pain and was therefore akin to looking at nothing for bystanders. Alator did not like killing those with magic but he might have had to make an exception for the Emrys and his old friend.

Gaius had known the information disjointedly. He knew of the prophecy as everyone did but had not known who it concerned until Aulfric’s Little Bird told him herself only days prior. Alator felt cold sweat on his nape every time the thought occurred to him that he might not have interfered for Emrys if Gaius had truly not known the answers. The horror of that thought.

Though Alator travelled alone with his thoughts for several days, having left Morgause unconscious because he knew his spell would cause her no harm and he could not speak to her, he did finally reach Morgana.

She was, understandably, quite concerned to see her sister unconscious. Alator quickly explained that it was a harmless spell and that Morgause would be quite well soon enough, calming the witch down enough so he could convey his message and then be on his way.

 

 

“Morgause is fine?” Morgana asked once more. She was not entirely certain who the man in front of her was, some sort of Catha, but he seemed authoritative enough that his assurances did assuage her concerns.

“Yes. She hired me to do a job for her but we ended up disagreeing a bit and rather than fight, I do hate spilling magical blood with Uther having slaughtered so many of us, I thought I would just return her to you.”

“Oh,” Morgana nodded slowly. “What job?”

“She wished for some information. When I found it, I disagreed with her chosen course of action and have refused it to her.” The man answered but seemed eager to leave. Given that he had fought with Morgause, Morgana found it understandable.

“Well, I thank you for her safe return. Would you like anything, wine, bread, supplies, before you get back on the road?”

“During the course of my findings, I was instructed to relay a message to you from your brother. Will you hear it?”

“Arthur? You ran into Arthur?”

“I did. He seemed well but wished me to give you a message.”

“Very well, what did he want?” Morgana knew she would die of curiosity if she did not hear what it was.

“He said that you were his sister too and he missed you. He wished that you would return home, to Camelot, and join his council. I have faithfully conveyed both your sister and my message, I will intrude no further on your hospitality. Good day.” The man turned and left without having introduced himself. As he got farther away, Morgause began to stir and Morgana was temporarily distracted from Arthur’s message.

“Morgause, sister!”

Morgause finally sat up slowly. “That little rat… how did I get here?”

“The man you hired brought you back… Oh, he didn’t say his name. Looked like a Catha?”

“But he knocked me out,” Morgause mumbled in confusion.

“He implied that he hasn’t gotten in a fight with someone of magic since the Purge,” Morgana explained. Morgause nodded slowly.

“Well, at least I’m home. Did he tell you that Gaius knew who Emrys was and told him but he wouldn’t tell me?”

“He mentioned it,” Morgana admitted.

“Oh, I should say that he did say it wasn’t Mordred. When he first hesitated I thought perhaps it was that and asked.”

“Oh, that had not even occurred to me,” Morgana was horrified. “I simply assumed it had to be someone I’ve never met. But it is a title, isn’t it?”

“It is a title,” Morgause confirmed. “Would that change your mind on killing this Emrys being the best course of action? Your knowing them?”

“Perhaps,” Morgana was torn on the matter. On one hand, why would someone she knew and liked want to kill her? Even when Merlin had thought Morgana’s death would save Merlin’s own life, he had not been able to think of that possibility. But on the other hand, would it not still be wisest to be rid of the threat, not constantly wondering if the person would turn on her suddenly? Well, they could cross that bridge if they ever came to it. “You do feel alright?”

“Yes, I feel fine,” Morgause assured her. “Nothing the matter with me at all, sister. I promise you.” Morgana felt much better about the situation and led her sister into the kitchen so they could continue chatting while Morgana finished their supper.

Over supper, Morgana remembered that Morgause had apparently gotten information out of Gaius about something and she had known nothing about this plan. She asked Morgause about it.

“Well, you’ve been so distressed about this Emrys person. I’ve been worried about you. So I thought that the logical place to begin looking for him was in Camelot.”

“I can understand that logic,” Morgana agreed. “But how did it come to torturing information out of Gaius? And have I missed something? Does Arthur have anyone except Gaius who uses magic in the citadel?”

“Not officially,” Morgause replied. “I have a friend living in the citadel, who was asking about Emrys for me. There’s some interesting rumors coming from the servants that contradict it being only Gaius but we cannot know if they’re true or not. They haven’t been addressed.”

“What rumors?” Who else could be using magic?

“Never you mind that for the moment. One problem at a time or we’ll run ourselves ragged,” Morgause smiled warmly at her. “You wanted to know how we came to realize Gaius knew what we wanted to know. Gaius did not tell my friend anything but it was clear he knew something of Emrys by his reaction to being asked. So, I prioritized you and hired that Catha turncoat to interrogate him. There’s a ritual, no harm done, very boring to watch. Apparently Gaius gave him a name to go with the title but unfortunately, the idiot decided not to tell me.”

“Oh,” Morgana replied less than eloquently, processing the information. “He did say that he disagreed with your course of action or something to explain why you were unconscious.”

“So whoever this Emrys is, Alator wanted him alive?” she asked with interest.

“Yes, that seems to be the implication,” Morgana agreed. “But then he also said that he wanted anyone with magic alive. We know that this Emrys is going to be a sorcerer of considerable power.”

“Yes,” Morgause agreed grumpily. “That is possible and does not help in narrowing anything down. Perhaps it was only that Gaius convinced him to believe in the prophecy.”

“I know that you keep saying that there could be mistakes, but I know how clear my visions are,” Morgana shook her head. “The prophecy will certainly come to pass.”

“There are ways to avert a prophecy,” Morgause replied sternly. Morgana just sighed heavily. They would possibly never agree on this point. But Morgause did not have the talent for visions and she simply could not understand how clear everything was to Morgana.

“Let us not quarrel, sister.” Morgana reached out and Morgause let her grasp hands.

“Yes. I do so hate to quarrel with you.”

“This Catha also said he ran into Arthur. Was Arthur there fetching Gaius?”

“Yes,” Morgause nodded. “Arthur and his Consort and probably some knights. I was knocked out not long after they arrived. I assume they must have come to some arrangement with the Catha wherein they left with Gaius and he left with me.”

“That seems to be the most logical explanation of events. The Catha said that Arthur asked him to bear a message to me.”

“Did you hear the message?” Morgause’s expression pinched.

“Yes. He wanted me to return to Camelot to join his council. Except for my certainty that Arthur has no head for such stratagems, I would assume it was some sort of trap. But he has advisors who could make them for him.”

“Yes, I’m certain he does,” Morgause agreed. “You aren’t thinking of accepting his offer, are you? At best, he would be asking you to lower yourself in your rightful court, after all. To be only one advisor of many when you ought to be Queen…”

“That’s true,” Morgana admitted. She had been considering the offer rather than rejecting it out of hand. Arthur had lifted the ban on magic for her and then given her the credit for it. Then he had given Morgause back to her after Morgause had threatened Gaius and asked a stranger to beg her to come advise him. Morgause might think it was some horrible sort of abasement but a councilor had quite a bit of power and access to the King’s ear. It was not Queen, no, but it was one of the highest positions at court. Morgana could do quite a bit of good for the kingdom as Arthur’s advisor. It had been one of the anticipated paths their lives would take before Morgana’s visions had begun and everything spiraled out of control. 

“Morgana, of course you’ll want to consider all the possible reasons for Arthur to send such a message, but do remember that nostalgia colors our memories and makes them seem better. Simply because you feel a bit of nostalgia for a former friend, it does not mean that you must do his bidding. Arthur was a headstrong man with temper issues, you must remember that. I’m certain that nostalgia says he was some sort of chivalrous brave knight figure, but he is human and all of us have flaws, some more than others.” Morgana smiled at her sister.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. This message has shocked me and I’m trying to decide what reasoning he had in mind to send it, but you’re right, of course. Arthur had flaws and I won’t let myself forget that simply because he also had a couple of good moments.”

“That’s all I ask, sister. I would hate for you to forget yourself and rush back to him in a fit of homesickness and then find yourself in a cell. You know I would come for you immediately, but it would be so distressing.”

“Very distressing,” Morgana murmured. Morgause patted her hand and left her to her thoughts.

Morgause had a point in that Arthur had plenty of flaws. But so did everyone and perhaps he had grown as a person since the last time Morgause had seen him, the last time Morgana had seen him had been a year ago. Additionally, there was the possibility that it was not that Arthur only wanted her to return, and there was some sort of ulterior motive. Morgana had no desire to find herself with bound magic or forced to obey a man or in the dungeons. Going to Camelot in person to investigate Arthur’s sincerity in his offer was obviously not worth the risk. But perhaps she could write some sort of note or letter? That would not risk her safety. But then, what could she say? I was wondering if you were going to throw me in the dungeons if I set foot in Camelot? They certainly would not admit to that even if they were.

Morgana did not write a single word that night. As the days passed, with no information to begin narrowing the search for Emrys appearing, she often found herself sitting down to write and then burning the parchment in frustration without even finishing her sentence. It took over a fortnight for Morgana to finally fashion the briefest of notes: only a handful of lines long and completely lacking salutation or closing, but for once she had a coherent thought and did not completely hate the entire composition. She put her name to it and sent it with one of the ravens that Morgause had trained to carry messages. She would simply wait and see.


	10. What's a Lamia?

Though Gaius recovered from his ordeal, he was an old man and his body was still quick to tire, even once he was essentially recovered. He was still capable of completing his tasks in the citadel, but he would have to stop and rest as he walked through the lower town. Merlin helped as much as she could and several of the page boys were given a sort of rotation where during some of their free time, they would run small errands for Gaius to spare him the exertion- like delivering medications for him.

So when word came of an illness in one of the towns, some sleeping sickness that seemed more than a little strange, Gaius was not capable of riding out and investigating. Gaius, to preserve his pride in front of the council, said something about a seasonal malady in the lower town, but they all knew that he could not ride a horse for hours on end to travel to the town in question. Unfortunately, that left the question of who would go, because someone must and Gaius no longer had an apprentice.

“I can go,” Merlin suggested. “I have more knowledge than anyone else available to go and I can take one of the birds with me if I need to ask Gaius for help. With a contingency of knights, surely no one could fear for my safety.”

“But this illness might be catching!” Gaius protested.

“I am certain I could manage,” Merlin insisted.

“If something were to happen to you, Arthur might not manage,” Owen pointed out.

“It is only a sleeping sickness,” Agravaine pointed out. “They are not typically catching. Also, I am certain Merlin knows better than to eat or drink something suspicious. Who else can we send, anyway?” Merlin eyed Agravaine suspiciously but nodded at him in recognition of his support. Did he think she would disappear? She would simply have to keep alert at all times.

Despite Gaius’ continued protests about Merlin leaving the citadel with a minimal guard and going to a place of known illness, the fact remained that she was the best candidate to go. Merlin knew that there was a risk, with her riding a horse and exposing herself to an unknown illness, but Gaius was incapable of making the journey and their people must come first.

The next morning, Merlin and Gwaine and Leon and Percival and Elyan all set out for the village. Arthur was reluctant to part with Merlin but Agravaine insisted it was time for council and Merlin kissed him and waved him off.

“We’ll be back in a few days, Arthur,” she assured him.

“I’m holding you to that,” he replied. “Be safe.”

“I always am. Be careful.”

“I will.”

“Let’s go before we lose any more daylight,” Leon suggested. Arthur nodded and stepped back from Merlin’s horse, letting her turn towards the gate out of the citadel. They all waved one last time and set off. They would be back in a few days, after all.

Luckily the journey was uneventful. They had lunch and Merlin managed to get easily back onto Llamrei. There were no accidents or snakes or bandits. No one was thrown by their horse. The weather was pleasant, no rain in sight, and the tree cover just thick enough to keep the temperature comfortably cool despite the general summer heat.

Once they reached the village that evening, they were greeted by the village elder. As it turned out, this was Leon’s family’s land and both Leon and Elyan knew the man. Merlin let them make the introductions, saying nothing when Leon introduced her as Gaius’ apprentice rather than Arthur’s wife. That was her function at the moment, after all. She was not here as Consort to discuss crops or taxes, but to heal their sick. The village elder, by name of John Howden, led them to a communal shelter, where three men were laid out, completely unconscious.

“What have you done for them so far?” Merlin took charge. The men were all three still alive and breathing but only just, a rictus of pain or terror on each face. There was the lingering touch of magic about them but not enough for her to know anything concrete from it.

“We’ve tried to keep them warm, get broth down their throats. That one’s been out for almost a week, but the other two have only been out for three days.”

“Alright,” Merlin nodded. “Did they have any symptoms prior to being unconscious? Had they complained of a headache or seemed at all out of sorts?”

“No,” John shook his head. “They were fine. And then suddenly they were not. I found Aldref.” He indicated one of the men found three days prior. “There was a scream and I went out to investigate and he fell on me.” Merlin looked up at John. That sounded interesting.

“You left your house? What time of day was this?”

“It was an hour after sunset or so. The wife and I were turning in for the night. I heard the scream and went outside and saw this door open. I went over and pulled it all the way open and Aldref fell into me. I caught him and he looked just like that.” Merlin smiled briefly at the man. That was a much better description.

“Thank you for that. How strong a possibility is there that this malady might not be natural? Was there anything the patients might have eaten or drunk…?”

“I… There’s no indication they’ve eaten poison. The only thing we have around here is a kind of berry and it doesn’t look like this. We know how to heal that,” John declared.

“Good,” Merlin smiled at him. “I’m going to give them a tincture of belladonna and put a poultice of betulial on their chests to stimulate bloodflow. If there’s no change by morning, I’ll consider the possibility of sorcery. Have any strangers passed through, by the by?”

“There’s a road that leads through the mountains, the one you came in on. There’s often people coming and going, especially in the summer.” He looked a little defensive.

“Well, let’s hope that the natural cure works and I’m wrong,” Merlin replied mildly. She opened Gaius’ medicine bag that he had lent her for the journey and set to work. She quickly made the poultices and applied them to the men’s chests and then gave them each a dose of belladonna tincture. While she worked, she thought hard about the possibilities for magical maladies. The man had been frightened right before he lost consciousness but why had he been out and about an hour after sunset? Perhaps if she knew how the others had fallen prey it would be easier to figure out what the problem was.

That night they ate supper with the villagers and their hopes were high that the men would be awake in the morning. Merlin was less inclined to assume that to be true. She had felt magic on them and she thought it was less likely to have been someone trying to wake them than whoever or whatever had put them to sleep in the first place.

Merlin and the knights slept in the temporary sick ward that night. She half woke to the sound of hissing and conjured a ball of light but there weren’t any snakes in the building and it sounded like it was outside. The knights were all inside. Merlin settled back down and went to sleep. In the morning, she was uncertain whether it had been real or only a dream. But as she had suspected, there was no change with the men’s health.

Everyone was sort of standing around uselessly and Merlin was wondering how to ask if there would be pitchforks and fire involved if she used magic to wake them without encouraging pitchforks and fire.

“Should you try magic?” Gwaine asked.

“I can, if there’s no protest?” Merlin deferred to John. He blinked slowly at her and then chuckled a little.

“I’m still getting used to that law being gone,” he replied. “But of course, if you have any talent, please do.”

“I have a little,” Merlin replied. “It may or may not work. If it doesn’t, we’ll fetch Gaius.”

“Of course,” John agreed. Gwaine brushed a comforting hand over her shoulder as Merlin turned. She murmured a spell. There was no change. Merlin just let her magic course through her, bidding the men to wake. They slowly sat up. Merlin grinned. 

“Good job,” Leon reassured her.

“And they’ll be fine now?”

“Should be,” Merlin agreed.

They ate dinner with the villagers before they left. All three of the men she had healed had a tale of a pretty girl who had lured them out into night and then they lost consciousness. None of them remembered too much beyond leaving their house to investigate a noise. Merlin knew that sounded familiar for some reason, but she could not place what it was. At any rate, it seemed that whoever or whatever it was had moved on and these villagers should be safe.

After dinner, they all rode out, eager to return to Camelot. Merlin was hoping for another uneventful journey and a bath upon her return. For a few hours, it seemed as though she might get her wish. They travelled at a quick pace without any obstacles and with pleasant weather, the promise of daylight for several more hours. But then, Leon heard a strange noise and everyone halted.

“Silence,” he ordered quietly, dismounting. Everyone followed suit except Merlin. She was not getting down if Leon thought there was a reason to sneak through the woods. She stayed at the back of the party as they discovered the source of the noise: bandits with some sort of hostage in a cart. Maybe bounty hunters?

The knights of course, could not leave well enough alone. They rushed in to save whoever it was. Merlin stayed well back from the fight, a tight grip on the reins in case she needed to flee. She watched the fight and kept the knights from being overrun by the fact there were thrice as many bandits as knights. Eventually all the bandits were wounded, dead, or long gone. Elyan unlatched the door to the cart and a pretty girl was curled up defensively in the corner. Merlin thought it all looked safe enough and rode into the clearing. After a moment of hushed explanations, the girl came out of the cart.

“What’s your name?” Merlin asked. The girl shrank back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“It’s alright, sweetheart, Merlin wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Gwaine insisted. The girl smiled a little and straightened up.

“What’s your name?” Percival asked again.

“My name’s Lamia,” she replied. Merlin thought it sounded vaguely familiar but she had no idea who she had met with that name. Perhaps the girl was a Druid? Or named after a prophecy?

“How did you get captured?” Leon asked.

The girl explained that she had been taken in the night and thought that she was in for some sort of horribly gruesome fate. Merlin was fairly certain that they had run the last of the body slave traders out of the kingdom a few months back but she could always be mistaken. Lamia said that they had only been travelling for a few days and her home village was relatively close by.

“I can probably get myself home. But thank you for rescuing me.”

“Nonsense,” Leon replied. “We can take you home.” Merlin was a bit surprised that Leon had not even nominally asked her permission before changing the plans. He was usually fairly intent about standing on ceremony. She would have expected the complete disregard for chain of command from Elyan, who still lived most of his life as a blacksmith, or Gwaine.

“Leon,” Merlin said firmly. Everyone turned to look at her. “Of course someone must escort this girl back to her home but there’s certainly no reason for all of us to go. Pick someone to go with you and I’ll go home with the other two. Let everyone know that nothing happened to us.” Leon looked a little sheepish.

“I… whoever wants to come with me. I’m sure everyone wants their own bed as soon as possible.”

“What is a bit of discomfort for a lady’s safety?” Percival asked. There was an odd discussion in which no one really said anything, but it quickly became clear that the only knight who might be persuaded to accompany Merlin back home was Gwaine. Even he was very distressed for Lamia’s safety on the road, and from the other knights. The afternoon ended with Lamia on Leon’s horse and Merlin trailing miserably along behind all four knights, praying to the Goddess that she came out of this disaster unharmed.

As they travelled, the knights became hostile to one another, each accusing the others of inappropriate attention towards the girl. Merlin attempted several times to step in and take over the girl’s care but each time Lamia acted as though Merlin had struck her. By the third time Merlin attempted this, Leon lashed out at her, forbidding her from speaking to the girl. Gwaine shouted back, mostly incoherently but it seemed to be in Merlin’s defense which made her feel a little better about the situation. Gwaine was still behaving somewhat normally. They bedded down after dark that night and Merlin desperately hoped that Arthur had noticed something the matter with them having neither returned nor sent word. At least they were not too far past the village as it was.

The next morning, Merlin managed to stall their departure a little by rising before anyone else and using her magic to push them all into a deeper sleep. By the time they woke, it was a good few hours past sunrise. Merlin pretended to have just woken a few moments before and then insisted that they could not press on without eating. Luckily for Merlin, the knights managed to stall enough scuffling among themselves that it took almost an hour for them to gather firewood and start the fire. Then they realized they did not have enough supplies for everyone and catching a fish in the stream delayed them a little more. By the time they finally set off, it was nearer dinnertime than sunrise, but Merlin was glad. It would give Arthur more time to realize something was amiss and catch up. It was fairly obvious that something was wrong.

They wandered on no path that Merlin could see through the woods that afternoon. Merlin made certain that they left a path, shredding her neckerchief and pinning the strips on branches every so often as they passed. Arthur might be a bit slow sometimes but he was good at following a trail. And no one had cleared away the bandits’ bodies. Those would begin to smell sooner rather than later in the heat.

As the afternoon wore on, the knights became increasingly hostile over Lamia, snapping at each other with no good humor to temper the sting. Merlin watched sadly, becoming increasingly frustrated with her inability to figure out what it was the girl was. It was certainly obvious to Merlin that the girl was the cause of the knights’ uncharacteristic behavior.

That evening, they stopped riding early so the knights could hunt something for supper. Lamia curled into Elyan’s embrace and Merlin ignored Percival’s warnings to leave “the poor, dear girl” alone in favor of attempting to talk sense into Gwaine. It seemed to work a bit. He agreed that Merlin had done nothing to Lamia and said he would try to speak to Percival. Merlin had little faith it would do any good but there was certainly no harm in trying.

It was a bit tiresome, waiting on the return of Leon, Percival, and Gwaine with food when fetching wood took only moments and then neither Elyan nor Lamia would speak to her. Merlin spent the remainder of the time praying to the Goddess for her own safety and hoping that Arthur was on his way. The uninterrupted silence reminded Merlin where she had heard the name Lamia before: there was a story of a deadly creature being given human form by a priestess and sent to destroy those who had insulted her. The name of such a creature was Lamia. Merlin kept praying. She could get Gwaine to see a bit of sense but Elyan and Percival were already mad about the girl and Leon was little better. He, at least, did not look like he wanted to rip the girl’s dress off, but he was just as firmly in her thrall as the other two. With Merlin’s concerns for her health in the circumstances, it was too risky to try to force the knights to do her bidding or openly attack the other girl, perhaps the creature.

They all bedded down for the night and Merlin made certain to put Gwaine between her and the rest of the knights. Gwaine was the one least likely to take his increased aggression out on her.

The next morning, Merlin woke early again and noticed that Elyan was missing. She sent the other knights and Lamia into a deep sleep, as she had done the day before and set out to find Elyan. He was on the ground, with the same rictus of pain on his face she had seen in the village and unconscious. Merlin sighed heavily. On the one hand, she could heal him. On the other, it might be easier with only three men under the lamia’s spell. Merlin made the decision not to wake him. He would be her reason to return to Camelot. She made certain his life was not in danger and then used her magic to carry him back to their camp. The lamia already felt her magic, most likely the source of its fear of her. There was no need to attempt to hide her magic.

The rest of the camp woke when it was almost noon. Merlin woke them, feigning a panic about the fact that Elyan would not wake and saying that it had been hard enough to wake them. Gwaine caught Merlin’s mood and looked around suspiciously.

“We have to return to Camelot. I can’t wake him. He could be dying!”

“Merlin’s right,” Gwaine agreed. “Lamia is almost home. One of you can escort her if you feel it’s necessary, but we need to get Elyan to Gaius and Merlin back to the citadel. This detour has taken much longer than anticipated and we keep being unable to wake in the mornings.”

Unfortunately, Merlin did not have quite such a strong influence over Leon or Percival and the lamia was used to terrify children into behaving well for a reason. The lamia was powerful and deadly.

“We can simply take him to a shelter I know nearby,” the creature suggested. Merlin felt a brief urge to carve its eyes out. “There’s no way you could get him back today anyway and you did promise to take me home.” Even Gwaine swayed a little.

“Elyan needs Gaius,” Merlin ordered.

“Silence!” Leon ordered. “You can come with us or stay here. It’s up to you.”

“Leon,” Merlin spoke calmly. “I am the King’s Consort. You are only a knight. I suggest you reconsider your implication that I must listen to you. I have indulged your infatuation with the girl. If you wish to escort her safely home, I will allow you. But you will not threaten me or order me about. I am taking Elyan and two knights and returning to Camelot and Gaius, so help me.”

“Infatuation!” Leon protested.

“She’s my sweetheart!” Percival bellowed.

“My mistake,” Merlin murmured, putting a hand on Gwaine’s shoulder. He settled. “Once you’re done fighting over a common tavern wench, I would like to get on the road.”

“She’s not a tavern wench!” they both yelled.

“Ah, so that’s why she kissed Elyan last night and both of you seem to think she returns your affections?” she countered. There was a moment of silence. They looked at each other. Merlin silently prayed to the Goddess that they might see reason. Percival and Leon looked at the creature, who was smug in its victory and showed no pretense of concern about the conversation.

“You didn’t kiss Elyan last night?” Leon asked slowly. The creature looked properly concerned, glancing quickly at Merlin and then back at Leon. It seemed to not know whether to address Leon or Percival. Its assurances were vague and did not appear to be enough to silence the knights’ doubts.

“Why would you kiss him?” Percival asked quietly. Merlin’s heart broke for him. It might be an enchantment but it felt real enough to him now and he must be devastated. “I’ll return with you, Merlin. Seems I was mistaken.”

“Thank you Percival,” Merlin smiled at him. “Can you get Elyan on your horse with you?”

“Yes, your highness,” Percival replied and bowed. Gwaine moved to help him. Merlin hoped that the distance from her wouldn’t weaken Gwaine’s sense.

“Leon? Your choice?” she asked. Hopefully he would also come with her.

“I will escort the girl home,” he said stiltedly. “Do apologize to Geraint for my delay but as a knight of Camelot, I must protect all its citizens.” Well, it would be best to retreat and send Arthur and his reinforcements along to rescue Leon while Merlin was safely away from the danger. At least she had saved three victims herself. Merlin and Gwaine and Percival mounted and rode back the way they came.

The first time Gwaine passed one of Merlin’s neckerchief pieces, he blushed crimson. “I do not know what came over me,” he murmured in apology.

“Lamia is not a girl but a creature of magic. It enchanted you. I believe it’s what had attacked the men in the village,” Merlin explained.

“Thank God you managed to make us see some sense,” Percival said. “You can heal Elyan?”

“I mostly did. He’s just still sleeping because I could get through to Gwaine but you and Leon and Elyan were mostly lost causes. With him asleep, there were only two of you to worry about.”

“Wise,” Gwaine said proudly. Merlin smiled at him.

“Hopefully we’ll meet Arthur soon. He should have noticed something amiss and come with reinforcements by now.”

Happily, not a full hour passed before they ran into Arthur’s party. Arthur and Agravaine and quite a few knights were following the trail Merlin had laid. Gaius was at the back of their party. Merlin briefly explained the situation, sending Arthur, Agravaine, and the knights off after Leon and the creature. Once Agravaine had left, Merlin woke Elyan.

“Were you insane?” Gaius demanded. “I tell you that riding a horse is dangerous and you take a detour?”

“What was I supposed to do? Abandon four of my friends?” Merlin replied.

“Your health is priority!” Gaius insisted.

“Are you…?” Gwaine cut himself off even as he interrupted the argument, but one hand reached out to her stomach.

Merlin nodded. “Don’t tell Arthur yet.”

“In case,” Percival agreed softly. “I’ll pray for your safety, Merlin.”

“Thank you,” Merlin told him sincerely, reaching out and squeezing his hand. Once Elyan had been apprised of the morning’s events they made a campfire and Percival and Gwaine went off to find something to eat while they waited on everyone else’s return. Gaius was the only one who had eaten that day, after all. Merlin had been too keen to stall them and then get the knights she could away from that creature.

Everyone had eaten their fill and was ready to move when Arthur returned with Leon and news of the creature’s death. Merlin was quite grateful. Arthur thanked her for leaving him a trail to find and stalling their progress. Gwaine joked that she might have put a sleeping draught in the pot instead of water each night.

“Speaking of, Gaius, remind me to replenish your stock of valerian root,” Merlin said with an impish smile. Gaius shook his head and pinched her cheek.

“At least you did well with the villagers,” he muttered. “Or I’d be talking to Arthur about putting you aside for someone a little less irritating.”

Merlin scoffed. “You would never.”

“I certainly wouldn’t let him,” Gwaine declared. Merlin smiled at him. He certainly would not. Even the enchantment of a lamia did not overpower Gwaine’s affection for her, after all.


	11. Preparations

Once they were safely in Camelot again, Arthur had a bath prepared for Merlin first thing. Paxton immediately brought a tub of clean but cold water; clearly it had not even been nominally heated. Arthur was furious at the insolence. Merlin sighed heavily at Paxton.

“Honestly? Do you think that if finding out what Agravaine wanted to know wasn’t enough for me to answer your petty rumors that you passive-aggressively bringing me cold bath water will make me reward you? How about you spend a few hours in the stocks in the morning?” Paxton paled.

“I’ll bring you back warm water,” he murmured quietly, carting the tub away.

“What rumors?” Arthur asked as soon as the door was closed.

“Adara figured out the truth,” Merlin replied quietly. “She’s spread it around. I haven’t figured out how to handle it yet.”

“How did she notice?” Arthur looked concerned. “She didn’t see anything?”

“Not like you’re thinking,” Merlin reassured him. “She simply noticed me ask for something a man would not.”

“Oh,” Arthur smiled briefly. “I suppose we should have thought about this.”

“Well, it has been fairly busy the past few months and I wouldn’t have thought it appropriate to make the announcement with your father ill.”

“No, it certainly was not appropriate then,” Arthur agreed quietly. “I suppose we ought to figure it out. Why hadn’t you mentioned there were rumors?”

“I suppose I assumed you had heard them too,” Merlin shrugged. “I was so busy fretting about them whenever I got a spare moment to myself…”

“I’m not upset,” Arthur assured her, pulling her into his arms. “Perhaps the people might take the news better if it came with news of an heir?”

“That sounds reasonable.”

“The thought had occurred to you, then?”

“It had.”

“Alright, then we’ll tell them when you’re expecting again,” Arthur decided.

“Close to the due date,” Merlin corrected. “Or afterwards…”

“It was a horrible accident, love. You’ll see. The rest will be fine, without any complications at all.” Arthur looked quite certain.

“You can’t know that,” Merlin insisted. There was a sound at the door and they both fell silent. Paxton brought in a tub of steaming water. Merlin nodded and had him set in the middle of the room.

“Shall I present myself to the stocks in the morning?” he asked quietly.

“Have you learned your lesson about insulting people not getting you what you want? Carting the tub enough to get the message through?”

“Yes, your highness.”

“Then there’s no need to waste good food,” Merlin replied. “But do not insult me again. I might have been born and raised in the same circumstances as the servants but I am no longer one of you. I can sympathize with your difficulties and I might be more understanding and familiar than most nobles, but I am your King’s Consort and you should not forget that.”

“Of course, your highness.” Paxton bowed low and scurried out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“You handled that well,” Arthur told her, beaming with pride.

“Well, Leon tried to order me to follow that creature into a trap and I had to put him in his place. Paxton’s not nearly as intimidating.”

“Leon shan’t enjoy training tomorrow,” Arthur promised. “Now, we have a proper bath and you’ve had a trial.”

“Yes,” Merlin agreed. She bolted the doors with a thought.

The following morning, the concern of when and how to tell the kingdom that Arthur already had a wife was put aside in favor of confusion at the announcement Geraint gave via Leon. Geraint had been keeping up with what were normally Leon’s duties while everyone had traipsed around in the forest for entirely too long with that horrid creature, because someone had to. So he had noticed that the patrols reported unusual movement at the border with Gwynned, Caerleon and Annis’ territory.

Apparently, there had been quite an increase in the amount of movement on the far side of that border over the past fortnight: increasingly larger squadrons and more frequent patrols. Given that Gwynned was one of the few kingdoms they were not allied with, Geraint had immediately brought it to Leon’s attention upon his return. So Leon made the announcement in council, detailing the patrol routes that had been affected.

“Should I assume this is a precursor to war?” Arthur asked, looking over at the older knights. Cador, Bors, and Urien all exchanged glances.

“I would not hasten to judgement,” Agravaine cautioned. Merlin felt her suspicions double solely because Agravaine seemed not to be concerned.

“It is certainly a common tactic, for moving troops without being entirely obvious,” Cador said. “It is possible that Caerleon is considering war. However, also take in consideration all our allies and how large the kingdom is: we have plenty of men of fighting age-“

“Remember that Morgause killed the entire Essetiran army only a year ago,” Merlin interrupted. “There might be men of fighting age in that part of the kingdom but few trained at swordplay, forget war.”

“This is true,” Urien agreed. “And therefore, they would have to be quickly called for training but kept for last in sending reinforcements.”

Arthur nodded agreeably. “But the question at hand: should I prepare for invasion?”

“I don’t see how Caerleon would think it a good idea to attack such a large kingdom with so many allies,” Bors commented.

“Perhaps that’s the issue,” Cador suggested. “We are allied with nearly all the kingdoms of Albion not fallen to the Saxons or ruled by the Picts. Caerleon might be wishing to make a move while all the new alliances are still untested.” He pulled the map of Albion to himself and started setting little markers in their territory and all their allied territories. “See? They’re entirely surrounded by us and our allies and they can’t get an easy foothold into the Perilous Lands to expand because there’s only a small border there.”

Everyone sort of stared at the map. Somehow, between the end to the war with Mercia, the Treaty of Five Kingdoms, taking over Essetir, and the resulting deluge of treaty offers, Camelot had ended up allied to all but four kingdoms who weren’t ruled by Saxons or Picts. Goddodin and Bernicia in the north, Gwynned to the west, and Cornwall in the south were unallied with Camelot. Cornwall was Odin’s land and he was too grief-mad to put aside his anger at Arthur being the tool of his son’s death to ever treaty. Caerleon and Goddodin and Bernicia could possibly be persuaded but as there had been such concern over getting all the offered treaties written and signed, Arthur had not thought to offer to them. Bernicia and Goddodin shared a long border and Gwynned, Goddodin, and Cornwall happened to have extensive sea access on the Sea of Meredoc and could possibly collude if there was a war. Camelot’s supplies would have to come over land.

“How did we not notice that we’re allied with nearly everything on the map?” Elyan asked mildly. “I feel like that would be something that someone ought to have noticed.”

“Well, I imagine that Odin noticed,” Merlin pointed out. “It must have been the reason for his assassination on Arthur’s birthday. Last time he did it, the treaty visit with Mercia had just been returned.”

“That’s true,” Cador agreed. “And the Five Kingdoms treaty was well on its way to being finalized. I imagine it’s probably also the reason for Caerleon’s increased movement along the border. We do need sea access.”

“Wouldn’t it be smarter to try to run the Saxons out of Tir Mor and Kent?” Merlin asked. “If we decide we want sea access, shouldn’t it be towards Olaf’s kingdom in the east to facilitate trade?”

“Yes, more of our allies in Albion have sea access on the eastern side,” Leon agreed. “Only Rheged and Strathclyde do not. If we decide to expand, I’d suggest Saxon territory before the Perilous Lands.”

“Can we focus on the concern at hand?” Arthur asked irritably. “Caerleon moving all of his men around on our border? How serious a threat should we consider that to be?”

“Sorry, sire,” Leon murmured.

There was a bit of awkward glancing amongst everyone at the table before they all spoke at once. Everyone save Agravaine thought it best to assume that Caerleon was on the verge of declaring war and that their allies ought to be notified, knights should be sent to the border, supplies rationed, the untrained men of fighting age in the populace begun training.

“I simply remember how Caerleon and Annis were close with your parents,” Agravaine murmured. “It seems strange to me that they would move to war so easily, without even attempting a more peaceful solution.”

“They were closer to Gorlois and Vivienne and closed their borders to Uther with the Purge, as you well know,” Merlin snapped. She froze. “Morgause’s parents…” There was a moment of silence at the table.

“Her fortress is in Odin’s land, and he would take little convincing,” Arthur said quietly, face horror-stricken.

“Cornwall and Gwynned both have close sea access and we don’t even have ships of our own,” Merlin agreed.

“I’ll go to Hector and instruct him to begin training the men,” Cador volunteered.

Arthur sighed heavily. “Yes, Cador. Do that. Take your wife and drop by your daughter’s on the way back if you wish. I’ll put you on preparation for possible siege and evacuation whenever you return.”

“Yes, sire,” Cador replied with a bow.

“I, sire?” Urien asked.

“Would you and Bors consent to train the men of fighting age on this side of the mountain?” Arthur asked.

“Yes, sire,” they chorused, also bowing.

“Leon, you and I can discuss moving the knights towards the border this afternoon. I fear the echoes in this room to discuss exact movements.”

“Yes, sire.” Another bow.

“There’s a listening chamber behind that tapestry,” Merlin agreed absently, pointing. She was already composing letters in her head. Arthur looked less than pleased at the admission. “Should I not have said?”

“Of course you should have said,” Arthur countered. “You are already composing letters, I imagine?”

“Yes, love,” Merlin agreed.

“You do that. Maddock, be on hand to assist if Merlin wishes it.”

“What shall I do?” Agravaine asked. Arthur blinked at his uncle.

“You could inform the nobles?” Merlin suggested. “Perhaps we should not tell the entire kingdom until it is more certain, but perhaps the nobles would be able to help organize supplies and the men?”

“Yes, of course,” Arthur agreed. “That would certainly speed our progress along, would it not, uncle?”

“Yes, nephew,” Agravaine agreed with a tight smile. Council was dismissed.

“Elyan, would you run and go tell Gaius so he can begin stocking medicines?” Merlin asked, the thought suddenly occurring to her.

“Yes, your highness,” Elyan said. He bowed. Merlin rolled her eyes at him and waved Maddock to follow her as she left the council chamber. Arthur kissed her cheek as he and Leon headed off to discuss how to move the knights privately and she and Maddock went to begin drafting letters apprising their allies of the situation and requesting aid in the form of supplies as necessary.

The next several days passed quickly, with all the preparations for impending war.

Merlin had to write individual letters to their twelve allies to explain the situation and ask for supplies.

She also wrote letters discussing the possibility of treaty to Gwynned, Goddodin, and Bernicia. Though it was unlikely to do any good in Gwynned with Caerleon having already begun moving men towards the border, perhaps they could at least limit his outside support by swaying Goddodin and Bernicia’s opinion in favor of supporting Camelot or staying out of the conflict entirely. 

Additionally, all the servants noticed the preparations, to the surprise of absolutely no one, and Merlin was the one to announce to the citadel that there was movement on the far side of the border with Gwynned and that they were preparing for the possibility of war in case of invasion.

Arthur spent much of his time either training with the knights or discussing potential strategies with Leon and whoever dropped in. There was also the beginning of moving the knights towards the border as the squadrons leaving on patrol increased in size and frequency.

Agravaine, as instructed, had informed the nobles and most of them had been quite helpful in arranging for supplies to be brought and men to be summoned for training.  
Gwen was insistent that she was more than recovered enough from Vivienne’s birth to help and took charge of organizing the supplies with her daughter strapped to her chest in a strange sort of sling. Gwen and Elyan said that their mother had done the same thing with them as children. Although Merlin had not seen it before, it certainly looked very useful. Baby Vivienne was swaddled and close to her mother’s breast for feeding, but Gwen still had her hands free as she went about her day.

Gaius was also taking charge of supplies, though he was arranging for medicinal herbs and plants to be brought to the citadel for use and potions and tinctures to be sent as available. Several of Gaius’ helpful pages had been conscripted into grinding herbs, a task easy enough to teach and difficult to botch.

Towards the end of the week, a raven arrived bearing a miraculously dry missive. No one recognized the bird and it had no ribbon or crest to explain. Merlin and Arthur both realized who it was from the moment they saw the handwriting, though. It was a letter from Morgana.

_I received your message through Alator of the Catha. I knew nothing of this particular plot and hope that Gaius has recovered from his ordeal unscathed. I recognize that you are probably in dire need of my advice, but I believe that an immediate return to Camelot might be over-hasty. I have loyalties to my sister and a few personal reasons to avoid Camelot to consider in addition to my loyalties to my people. However, I see no reason not to re-open the lines of communication between us in hopes of learning to trust one another again._

_Morgana_

Merlin and Arthur put aside their preparations for a few hours and closeted themselves in their chambers to discuss Morgana’s answer to Arthur’s request that his sister come home and be his advisor and how they ought to reply.

“I don’t think Morgause tells her much of anything.”

“No, doesn’t seem that way. We should tell Gaius that Morgana asked after his health and had no part in that. He was very fond of her for many years, you know,” Arthur said.  
“Yes, we’ll tell him first thing in the morning,” Merlin agreed. “I’d bet anything that Morgause gave her a thousand reasons not to trust us and told her that it was a trap.”

“Morgana still wrote, though,” Arthur pointed out.

“Yes, she did,” Merlin nodded. “I wonder what her personal reasons are to avoid Camelot.”

“I’ve certainly no idea,” Arthur scoffed. “Perhaps she’s pregnant and doesn’t want to face the nobles’ scorn?”

“Possible but Morgana’s typically more stalwart than that,” Merlin shook her head. It had to be something else. “Oh, the Emrys prophecy…”

“What?” Arthur asked.

“Morgana’s a Seer. She would put her faith in prophecies. Perhaps she heard the one I told you about. The one that foretells your death and her death,” Merlin prompted.

“Ah,” Arthur nodded. “That would certainly be a generally good reason to avoid a place.”

“Well, we certainly aren’t going to convince her she’s not in danger with one letter,” Merlin decided. “Let’s just write back.”

“And leave out anything about the possible war,” Arthur agreed. They wrote back to Morgana, apprising her of the events in Camelot since her departure, and repeating their desire for her return. Merlin thought to include Gwen’s daughter at the last moment and added it in above the signatures. Arthur smiled. It would simply have to do. They attached the letter to the raven, which had waited patiently for a reply, and it flew off into the night.

The next morning, Merlin went straight to Gaius’ chambers to tell him about Morgana’s letter and her concern for his health. Arthur ended up having to personally fetch her because Gaius had put her to work and Merlin was having difficulty telling him that she needed to go. Merlin ate her breakfast at the council table, to everyone’s amusement.


	12. War, Part 1

Despite all the preparations being made, it still came as a shock when the reports came that Caerleon’s men had crossed the border for the first time. There had been a short skirmish, no deaths, mild wounds, before Caerleon called the retreat. He was leading his men. Annis had not been spotted at all and so was presumed to be still at their castle. Arthur froze at the news of war, horrified for a moment before he forced himself to prepare to leave and meet Caerleon at the border.

Merlin and Gaius had a bit of an argument about whether or not Merlin was going to follow Arthur to the front. Merlin insisted that she needed to accompany Arthur and it was worth the risk. She was still young and the kingdom needed Arthur. She would not leave his safety to chance. Gaius insisted that it was madness and Annis was staying in the castle like a sane woman. Merlin eventually won out. Arthur wanted her to come. Gwaine looked at her askance but he knew better than to try to dissuade her.

It was only Adara’s silent tears that almost swayed Merlin to stay. But Arthur needed her. This was what she had intended when she became his wife. She was only nineteen and had plenty more years to give Arthur another heir if Goddess forbid the worst should happen, so long as Arthur was still around. Therefore Merlin pulled Adara into an embrace and wiped away her tears but did not change her mind. She was going to follow Arthur.

They left in the morning and rode at a steady pace for the border, Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine, Lancelot, Leon, Geraint, Percival, Caradoc, Galahad, and Agravaine. Elyan was staying back with Gwen. He had some skill with a sword, but he was a blacksmith and councilor rather than a knight for a reason. 

At first, the skirmishes were not too bad. Caerleon would come a little over the border and meet some of their forces. A few knights on both sides would be wounded. Caerleon would order a retreat and Arthur would pursue to the border before returning to one of their camps to tend to the wounded and discuss weaknesses and strategies. Merlin stayed on horseback, well away from the fighting as much as possible while still keeping Arthur in sight. Agravaine stayed back in the camps, having only followed to offer advice. Merlin thought that perhaps he had only followed to pass information to Morgause, but had no real idea of how he might be passing information without anyone noticing. Additionally, Caerleon did not seem to exploit any but the most obvious of weaknesses: employing an archer to try to shoot Merlin through the trees, aiming the brunt of the forces at Arthur.

Of course, things had to escalate at some point. Everyone knew that. But the first deaths were still a shock, changing the fighting from mild skirmish to battle. No one had been quite prepared despite everyone knowing that it must happen at some point. Arthur, as expected, felt absolutely horrible about the entire situation. He insisted on writing the letters to their families himself. Agravaine tried to dissuade him, saying that only more deaths would come, it was the nature of conflict, and Arthur would not be able to write to every single family himself. Merlin just let Arthur deal with his guilt and grief how he wished. If a letter made him better able to sleep, she was in favor of him writing the letter.

As the battles continued, the fighting flowed over and beyond the border. Arthur refused to follow Caerleon’s forces past the border, which meant that they could retreat and cross the border in a completely different place the next day or so and Camelot was two steps behind. It was understandable that Arthur wanted only to keep his kingdom safe from invasion and not invade Gwynned, but everyone was exceedingly frustrated with the results of his stance.

The heat of the season and the discomfort of life on the warfront did not improve tempers either. Agravaine was always ranting about Arthur making a strong statement because he was an untested king and putting down the threat for good. Merlin wanted the fighting over as well, but she wished there was some possibility of a diplomatic arrangement ending the fighting. Gwaine’s temper had grown so short that he could barely speak to anyone without it ending in screaming. He desperately wanted Merlin to return to Camelot and they had taken to avoiding each other out of necessity. Neither was going to convince the other and both knew it so there was no point in wasting time and energy screaming at one another.

Slowly, Caerleon gained the advantage. He seized several villages in Camelot and Arthur would still not cross the border in Gwynned. They ceded several territories with ill grace.

Eventually, someone, later no one could recall who had mentioned it first, got the idea to use Caerleon’s aggressive strategies against him. They would simply get him to follow someone who could run quickly and lead Caerleon and his men into a trap. It would hopefully at least give a little bit of time for discussion of an end to the fighting if they managed to succeed. As ought to have been anticipated, there was a scuffle over who would be the bait for the trap. Merlin insisted that it could not be Arthur himself. Arthur and Gwaine both insisted it could not be Merlin. Eventually everyone agreed that Leon was fast enough that he would likely survive the honor.

Thank the Goddess, the plan worked. Leon came running into the ravine with Caerleon’s men on his heels, but Arthur and his men were already positioned on top of the short cliff. Caerleon thought that Leon was trapped, but in reality, he was trapped. The fighting was short-lived. There was, of course, some resistance from Caerleon’s men but the plan had worked exactly as intended and soon Caerleon and his men were bound and hauled into the nearest camp. Agravaine met them there.

Merlin, being the most qualified for the task, was bandaging up the wounded while Agravaine and Arthur began discussion of how to proceed about the prisoners. Therefore, she walked into the middle of the conversation.

“I fear it's no coincidence that all this has happened since Uther's death,” Agravaine tutted. Merlin stayed in the entry to the tent without drawing attention. She had no desire to go over this conversation again.

“What do you mean?” Arthur asked with a resigned sigh. Apparently he had the patience for it.

“Arthur, your father was a strong king. His enemies feared and respected that strength.”

“Are you saying I'm not worthy of that respect?” Arthur demanded irritably.

“No, sire, not at all. There isn't a citizen of Camelot who would not lay down their life for you. But your enemies...to the enemies of Camelot, you are still untested as a king. You must send a clear message that any action against Camelot will be met without mercy.”

“Did we not achieve that here today?” Arthur asked. “We are allied with nearly all of Albion and Olaf’s kingdom.”

“No, sire. Not enough,” Agravaine insisted. “Not enough to deter the likes of Odin and Caerleon.”

“Well, what do you suggest?” Arthur asked with an exhausted sigh.

“I suggest... I suggest that we force him to accept a treaty on our terms. He must withdraw his men from our land, return our territories to us. He must surrender Everwick.”

“He'd rather die than agree to such terms,” Arthur retorted. “That’s not going to get us anywhere.”

“Then you are left with no choice,” Agravaine replied lightly. “You kill him.”

“I can't just kill a man in cold blood.”

“Arthur, you must do what you need to do to assert your authority on this land.”

“Well, there must be another way,” Arthur insisted.

“There's no other way. Think on it. Decide by tomorrow.” Agravaine was getting up to leave.

“Did Arthur dismiss you?” Merlin asked. Both men startled. “And Agravaine, of course, there is another way. Arthur could make him sign a treaty he might actually agree to, or force him to retreat with all his men to the castle in Gwynned and we could discuss terms there, with Annis. I’m sure there are other options should I think for a little longer.” Agravaine looked livid.

“I don’t like your idea, uncle,” Arthur said. “Now you’re dismissed.” Agravaine could say nothing. Arthur was king and he was dismissed. He left, albeit with clear reluctance.

By morning, it had been decided by everyone that they would try the most diplomatic resolution possible. They were going to have Caerleon call all of his men back into Gwynned and follow him to the castle to discuss treaty terms because he had been captured and was at Arthur’s mercy. Some kings would have killed him, as Agravaine had suggested. It simply was not Arthur’s way, nor was it actually necessary. It had been agreed that killing Caerleon would probably only cause Annis to react badly in grief and prolong the fighting and bloodshed.

Merlin and Arthur woke Caerleon at first light and handed him a treaty – the one that Agravaine had suggested and everyone knew Caerleon would not sign. Merlin thought it was a good place to begin their negotiations, by reminding Caerleon of their mercy in sparing his life and allowing for discussion of treaty terms. Arthur had agreed that it sounded like something Uther would have suggested and he had always been good with these sorts of situations.

“What is this?” Caerleon demanded angrily. He knew full well what the scroll was. “Do you expect me to humiliate myself before you?”

“That remains to be seen,” Arthur demurred.

“I still think we should kill him. Make a clear statement about what happens to those who invade Camelot,” Agravaine said on cue. Caerleon paled a little. Merlin wondered if Agravaine had been right about Caerleon thinking Arthur untested and therefore an easy opponent.

“Now Agravaine, think of Annis, getting her husband’s cold body back without his head attached,” Merlin chided, following their script. “A clear statement ends the dispute permanently. It does not invite retaliation.”

Arthur hummed. “Yes, Merlin’s quite correct, uncle. We must be certain that what happens will permanently end the fighting between our kingdoms.” Caerleon was looking increasingly concerned about the situation, as intended.

“And we do need sea access,” Merlin teased.

“No!” Caerleon protested.

“On the other side of Albion,” Merlin reassured him. It seemed to be less than comforting.

“Merlin, you should not be cruel,” Arthur commented mildly. “Caerleon, as I know first-hand the way grief corrupts the mind around a subject, we have decided on a show of mercy rather than a show of force.”

“I thank you…?” Caerleon ventured.

“I rather doubt that,” Arthur said wryly. “You will pull all of your men out of Camelot and order them to stand down. You will cede control back to me of every territory you’ve seized in my kingdom. We will accompany you to your castle to discuss any further terms for your surrender and the ensuing peace treaty with your wife and advisors.”

“But you keep your dignity and your life,” Merlin reminded him.

Caerleon stared at them balefully for a very long moment, considering his options carefully before realizing that they had offered him the best option he had given the situation. He sighed and dropped his head before answering.

“Yes, I accept.”


	13. War, Part 2

Caerleon quickly had acceded to Arthur’s demands. His men left Camelot entirely, most of them returning to their homes. At Merlin’s behest, Arthur sent his own men into the villages that Caerleon was ceding back to Camelot to ascertain that their return to normalcy and the replacement of any village elders of whom Caerleon’s men had disposed was as quick and painless as possible. Arthur might not realize, but the position of village elder was one taken quite seriously and therefore prone to cause violent disputes when someone new had to take up the position.

Within the week, they had everything sorted out appropriately and were entering the castle of Gwynned. All of Caerleon’s troops were dispersed. Arthur had sent most of his men back to their own citadel, only retaining the group he had left the citadel with to serve as his guard. They had decided to keep their allies apprised of the situation and had ordered the supplies they had sent returned in kind as much as was possible. Additionally, it was agreed that the men who had been summoned for training would finish their weapons training before being returned to their home villages. Most of them had little enough training left after all, and hopefully they would all be more able to defend their villages from bandits or creatures or invaders if necessary. Agravaine had been nervous about the whole idea but the people liked Arthur therefore there was no reason to fear a populace competent in swordplay and no reason to keep them from learning it.

Annis met them at the gate in full regalia, gold crown, gold at her neck, her wrists, her fingers, sewn into her gown. Merlin and Arthur had brought no finery to battle save Arthur’s well-bred battle horses. Luckily, it turned out that Agravaine had brought a gold coronet among his things. Neither Merlin nor Arthur had given the time to question its presence when Agravaine had ridden up and dropped it on Arthur’s head, simply grateful that there was anything to distinguish Arthur from his knights. There was an awkward moment of reunion between Caerleon and Annis, where she was clearly trying to hold in her frustration with him, before she turned to Arthur.

“Welcome, King Arthur.”

“Thank you, Queen Annis. It is an honor to be a guest of your famed hospitality,” Arthur replied with a deep nod that was almost a bow.

“How kind of you to say,” Annis murmured awkwardly. “Please, do follow me inside. I have chambers for you to freshen up in before we begin our business.”

“How generous,” Arthur said as he dismounted. Merlin waited for Gwaine to appear at her side and help her down rather than jumping down. Of course, Gwaine was promptly at her side, arms up to help her down. Merlin smiled at him. They all followed Annis inside, and up to her best guest chambers.

After a quick washing up from the basin of water and a change of clothes, they all reconvened in the council chambers. Arthur took the seat at the head of the table, much to Annis’ chagrin and Caerleon’s embarrassment. Merlin sat down at her husband’s left. Agravaine took the seat at the right. Caerleon ended up at the foot of the table with Annis at his right.

“I think the terms of surrender are already clear to you, but I will lay them out again for the scribes to put into writing. You have removed your men from Camelot. You have ordered them to stand down and return to their homes. You have ceded control back to me of the villages you seized in my kingdom. You will come to an agreement with me and sign a peace treaty. There will be no further fighting or invasions between our kingdoms. I think that is more than generous, considering your clear lack of respect for my authority.”

“I still say we should have killed him and sent back his head,” Agravaine grumbled.

“More fighting,” Leon reminded him. “Besides, we have the strength that we don’t need to take off his head.”

“Quite true,” Merlin agreed. “The only thing we lack is sea access.” Annis went pale.

“He said that they want sea access on the eastern side of Albion, dear,” Caerleon informed his wife. “We’re on the wrong side.”

“Merlin,” Arthur said firmly. Merlin settled back into her seat with a small smile on her lips. It was rather amusing how horrified they became when reminded that Camelot could simply swallow their kingdom, execute them, and have done with it. Surely they had considered the possibility of losing before they began, like sensible people?

“Yes, your terms for surrender are generous,” Annis broke the silence. “We are willing to allow you to begin the terms for the peace treaty.”

Arthur merely nodded and then glanced around the table.

“Fish,” Merlin said.

“Pearls,” Agravaine suggested.

“Pears,” Gwaine spoke up.

“We ought to convene a meeting of all the kingdoms who border the Perilous lands. They have become inhabitable, after all. People will be moving there and order must be kept.” Leon, as always, was being quite sensible.

“Better consolation for the families of fallen knights,” Lancelot suggested. “We do pride ourselves on our treatment of our knights and their families in Camelot. It would hardly do to allow someone we defeated to not meet our standards in that regard.” Merlin and Arthur and Gwaine all beamed at Lancelot. He blushed.

“No taxes on goods coming from Gwynned to Camelot?” Caradoc suggested with a cruel smirk.

Annis and Caerleon watched the discussion with confusion and interest. After everyone had clearly run out of suggestions, Arthur nodded his acknowledgment.

“I wrote all of those down, sire,” one of the scribes ventured. “For reference.”

“Thank you,” Arthur told him sincerely. “Now that we have suggestions to discuss in further detail, do you have anything you would like to add to the treaty, Annis, Caerleon?”   
There was complete silence at the other end of the table.

“Come now,” Merlin broke it. “We aren’t monsters. We’ve made our suggestions about possible terms to benefit Camelot, now make some suggestions to benefit Gwynned. What crops are you short on? Perhaps you have a counter to Caradoc’s suggestion about taxes?”

“Do you truly run your kingdom like this? Listening to every one of your knights?” Caerleon asked.

“All my men at this table I consider a personal friend, and Agravaine is my uncle and Merlin my Consort,” Arthur replied. “So, no, every single knight I’ve trained does not give their opinion but I’ve found that kings who cannot listen to the suggestions of others before deciding whether or not to give them heed are well on their way to becoming a tyrant or a puppet.”

“Besides, Arthur would come to all the terms he decides to keep on his own eventually, but having a roomful of people make suggestions speeds the process up considerably,” Merlin added. “Efficacy is an important virtue to possess.”

“Yes, of course,” Annis agreed faintly. Caerleon was still gawking.

Eventually they managed to compose themselves and offer counter suggestions to the suggested terms that would most disadvantage Gwynned. By the end of the afternoon, they had already decided upon the topics that the terms would consider and were only quibbling over details.

The ink had dried on the terms of surrender by the end of their discussion and Arthur, Annis, and Caerleon signed their agreement.

At supper, however, Annis gave her small rebellion against their surrender and embarrassment. She took the opportunity to goad Arthur into agreeing that there would be a one on one fight between their two champions and whoever won would settle the point about export taxes on the peace treaty in their favor. Merlin and Agravaine were both in complete shock as Annis announced her triumph to the assembled crowd.

“Arthur!” Merlin hissed irritably. 

“He is such an idiot,” Gwaine grumbled. “She’s going to pull some giant out of thin air, watch her. Annis is a sneak. She won’t have wanted this unless she’s certain of her own victory.”

“Arthur won’t be too cruel, but you’re probably right,” Merlin agreed. “She can’t know that he’s going to flay Caradoc in training for a good week after we get home for trying to humiliate an already surrendered opponent.”

“It simply isn’t good form,” Gwaine murmured.

“Rather dishonorable,” she mumbled in agreement. Luckily, that was the last bit of excitement for the day. The feast was concluded. Everyone went to bed. Nothing happened to disturb their slumber. Both Camelot and Gwynned would announce their champions in the morning and the fight would be at noon.

Agravaine and Merlin got another shock in the morning. Arthur did not want any of his men to fight. Arthur himself would be Camelot’s champion. Merlin stared at Arthur. Agravaine was at least sensible enough to attempt to protest.

“Sire! Not wise! You cannot think… To risk your person in this way! You have no heirs. You could be harmed or killed!”

“Arthur, when Agravaine and I agree on a matter, it’s probably high time you started listening!” Merlin finally managed to say. “I cannot imagine what has gotten into your head but there is no dishonor in not risking your own life.”

“Any of us would be glad to serve as your champion,” Leon insisted.

“I know you would. I have faith in all of you to follow me unto death. But I was the one who drank one too many glasses of wine. I got us into this mess. It is only fair that I be the one to get us out of it or fail. My being king does not absolve me of responsibility for my mistakes, especially when I was simply being foolish.”

“I should have warned you that Annis would attempt something like this,” Gwaine said with a sigh. “I knew her character.”

“Do not judge yourself too harshly,” Arthur replied. “I am certain we could all find ways to shoulder part of the blame, but that does not mean that we should. I will be champion and that is final.”

“Yes, sire,” the knights agreed.

“I want it to be noted that I still think this is a terrible idea and if you die, I shall greet you in the beyond with I told you so,” Agravaine informed him haughtily.

“So noted, Uncle,” Arthur chuckled.

“You must come out of this fight unscathed,” Merlin ordered. “I absolutely forbid you to die. Am I understood?”

“Yes, love,” Arthur nodded solemnly.

“Good.”

As Gwaine had guessed, the champion that Annis and Caerleon presented was a giant. He was at least two heads taller than Arthur, more likely three or four. Apparently his name was Derian and he was a castle guard. Merlin gawked at the man. How Arthur was supposed to defeat a man so large she was not entirely certain, especially since the man was a Pict. They were renowned for their strength in combat.

Luckily, Arthur was allowed to decide the weapon and he picked swords. The Pict looked clumsy with a sword in hand. Merlin imagined that he had not been taught to fight with a sword, as it was not a widely available weapon. More likely, he was comfortable with his fists or some sort of dagger.

The duel commenced at promptly noon and despite the giant’s unfamiliarity with a sword, he was still a formidable opponent. The advantage passed back and forth, an equal fight. But the motions for a sword fight were different than those for a fight with daggers or fists and eventually the giant ran out of stamina. He slowed and Arthur could still dart easily around him. Finally Arthur knocked Derian to the ground and his sword out of his hand. Arthur made clear the advantage by putting the tip of his sword to the man’s neck for a long moment before throwing his sword into the ground by the man’s head.

Annis was furious. Caerleon was horrified. Merlin thought she might faint with relief. Annis and Caerleon admitted that the victory was clearly Arthur’s.

That afternoon, they finished discussing the treaty points. Arthur set a low but fair tax for goods coming from Gwynned to Camelot, as had been agreed. The peace treaty was drawn up, read over for errors, and signed.

After the treaty was signed, they did not tarry overlong. They left the following morning for Camelot.

Once they had returned, they discovered that it was already September, Morgana had sent letters for them, they had accidentally forgotten about the jousting tournament entirely, and Balinor had sent word that Hunith had had her baby and it was a son. The boy was named Peregrine. Merlin really thought that her father should have protested. It was silly to name a dragon-lord’s children after falcons simply because both dragons and falcons could fly. Merlin decided to try to schedule a visit to see her mother and meet her new brother after they had managed to salvage the jousting tournament.


	14. Jousting

As the brief war with Gwynned had run through the days that the jousting tournament was usually held, it was decided that they would reschedule and have the tournament be in honor of the new peace treaty. Therefore, the tournament would be held the following week.

Luckily, despite nearly half the citadel emptying for the war effort, the citadel had kept running smoothly in their six-week absence. There was little for them to settle that had remained undone, other than the mass of peasant men of fighting age receiving weapons training who would remain in the citadel for a further fortnight or so.

Merlin was very glad that everything had kept running smoothly even without someone with a crown to settle disputes amongst the servants. It meant that she could visit with Gwen, see how Vivienne had grown, hold audiences for the people, begin trying to schedule five kings to meet about the fate of the Perilous Lands and respond to Morgana’s two letters with Arthur.

Morgana had first written in response to their letter:

_I had no idea that you had managed so many treaties. I suppose Merlin has taught you diplomacy, brother, because we both know you have always been abysmal at it. Is there anyone with whom you are not allied save Odin? I send my condolences for you regarding Uther’s death. I am certain it must be difficult for you. Congratulations on your coronation though. And also the greatly-expanded kingdom. Did Essetir double it in size or is it more? I am almost in suspense to hear of you invading the Saxon land, now that it borders the kingdom._

_I suppose I ought to thank you regarding the ban on magic and your subsequent welcoming of those with it. I briefly met Kearia and while it was a less than pleasant visit for other reasons, she had nothing but lovely things to say of you two. I am also impressed with you welcoming back the Dragorn and his dragons. I would not have suspected it of you but it was very well done._

_Gwen has had a daughter without me? I do not know what to say. I am not certain that sending my gratitude properly conveys my emotions that she named her daughter for my mother even after how disastrously my attempt at being Queen failed last summer._

_I hope to be able to find some way of returning to Camelot someday, I will say that. It was my home for many years and I miss it and its people though I fear it would find me a stranger now._

_Morgana_

Then she had written in response to hearing of the war:

_At first I was miffed when you did not respond to my letter at all promptly. But now I find that you have mentioned nearly every occurrence in the citadel save the preparations for imminent war? Did you think that it would not be of interest to me?_

_Arthur, I absolutely cannot believe that you allowed Merlin to accompany you to the front. How could you allow Merlin to do something so dangerous? What if he had been killed? You are a foolish man._

_Merlin, darling, please stop endangering your life for this prat. He is not worth it, even if you are in love with him._

_Also, I do hope you’re going to hold the jousting tournament at some point, since you seem to have forgotten about it. It’s a sort of an anniversary now, is it not? I might attempt to attend it if you do._

_Morgana_

Merlin and Arthur reassured her that they were holding the tournament and gave her the dates, begging her to come, before they touched on anything else she mentioned in her letters. They thanked her for the condolences and congratulations. They told her about Elyan being the one to realize that they were not allied to only four kingdoms in Albion, which was now three, and regaled her with the tale of winning the war and securing a peace treaty in everyone’s interests. They explained a little awkwardly Arthur’s current intentions regarding bringing magic back to Camelot.

Merlin went and conveyed Morgana’s sentiments as best she could to Gwen, who cried about Morgana’s response to baby Vivienne’s name. Merlin teared up as well.

Also, with the war won, they began to anticipate favorable responses from Gododdin and Bernicia about treating with Camelot and thereby the rest of Albion. No one had been particularly surprised by the silence, expecting that the kingdoms would be waiting to see how Camelot fared during an invasion with Arthur on the throne and firmly in control. Admittedly, Uther had not done well when Morgana had taken the throne and everyone knew it.

But the week passed quickly enough even with Caradoc’s constant complaining about Arthur’s method of moral instruction and the intermittent daily rainstorms. Soon enough the jousting tournament was underway.

If Morgana was attending, she had not informed them, so Merlin and Gwen with Vivienne in her sling were sitting in the royal box together to make the announcements. Lancelot was not competing, still recuperating a broken arm, so he was seated just to the side of the box to prevent any confusion about the baby Vivienne’s parentage. Geraint was also sitting with Lancelot, having twisted his wrist sometime after their return home. No one was willing to question the situation. Geraint had a sprain, he could not hold a lance, and that was all the further anyone wanted to consider, especially given how Leon would blush and wince every time his attention was drawn to it.

Arthur and Leon and Gwaine and Percival and Caradoc, along with many of the other knights of Camelot, were all uninjured or sufficiently recovered to compete and despite the late notice, there were quite a few foreign knights as well. It would be a full tournament.

Arthur and Leon and Gwaine and Percival and Caradoc all faced other opponents and made it through the first day easily enough. Caradoc knocked his opponent from his horse a little too forcefully but Arthur had certainly done worse to him in training in the prior week so it was perhaps not surprising that he was not tempering his strength. Percival seemed to have the opposite problem, but he had been faced against an opponent half his size, a boy with a good form but still lacking the build to have any hope against a man of Percival’s size. So Percival still won, though the boy put in an admirable performance. Everyone agreed that the boy would be a skilled knight once he had grown into his shoulders.

The second day of the tournament, Arthur knocked both Gwaine and Caradoc out of the running. Arthur was very pleased with himself. Gwaine was good-naturedly complaining and begging for drinks to “comfort him in his pitiful state”. Caradoc was greatly displeased about the entire situation and honestly grumbling. Percival was still too cautious in his jousts and lost his second match of the day to a knight from North-Umbria. Leon put in a good show, neither too strong nor too cautious and won both his matches. Geraint was clearly pleased for Leon and cheered so loudly Merlin almost had to block her ears.

At the feast that night, one would be forgiven for thinking that the tournament was already over with Arthur declared the champion. He was entirely too pleased with his victories over his own knights and celebrated himself. Merlin was just very careful to ascertain that Arthur ingested nothing that she was not entirely certain had been tasted for poison or sedatives, while drinking her own wine very watered-down. Gwaine, at least, was good natured enough about the situation. He was happy to let Arthur crow about his win while drinking wine at Arthur’s side. Caradoc had to be kept away from the foreign knights because, after a week of being humiliated in training, he was not at all understanding about being defeated in the tournament.

The final day of the tournament, the joust for the title of champion came down to Arthur and Leon. As everyone had anticipated, Arthur won. It was quite clear that Leon never bested Arthur anymore, though he did not consciously let Arthur win either despite occasionally besting those who could knock Arthur down. Luckily, Arthur had not seemed to notice any reason to be upset and was merely pleased with his win. Leon was perfectly happy to come in second to his King and Geraint was happy to console him.

The feast that night was even more elaborate than the night before. The food was both delicious and varied and the wine was good. Arthur even had the mead brought out. Merlin drank only little sips of mead, but Arthur was too busy celebrating to notice or question her turning up her nose at her favorite drink. Merlin was able to watch the rest of the guests, with a clear head, and happily realized that all the foreign knights were well pleased with Arthur’s hospitality and none looked distressed by the King who had held the tournament winning the title of champion. There was always a bit of a risk in being accused of some sort of foul play when the one who hosted won, after all. Thankfully, no one seemed to be inclined to complain with Arthur plying them with food from all over Albion. Gwaine got his pears and was showing them off to anyone who passed by, including the servants. It was quite endearing. Gwen and Lancelot came and ate, letting baby Vivienne have a little taste of one of Gwaine’s pears, but they left quite early to put Vivienne to bed. Leon and Geraint did not show up for the feast at all. No one was sent after them.

Morgana did not seem to have attended the tournament. No one had seen or spoken to her, after all. If she had come, it must have been in disguise. But the letter that arrived on the last day of the tournament asked them to tell her who had won, so perhaps she simply had not come at all. 

With the distraction of the jousting tournament done with, the talk in council turned to the summit of the kingdoms surrounding the Perilous Lands with the aim of finding a way to gather all five Kings as soon as possible, preferably before Samhain when winter began to threaten. Luckily, Merlin was able to insist to everyone that a quick visit to her mother would not hold the plans up in any way and it was agreed that Merlin and Arthur would leave the following week to spend a few days at the Dragorn fortress. Merlin was very much looking forward to seeing Cariad and her parents and the dragons and meeting Peregrine. That would be her reward for a war won and peace treaty secured, as the tournament had been Arthur’s.


	15. Peregrine Dragorn

The Tuesday following the tournament, Merlin and Arthur left to visit her parents. It was the first time they had gone since Beltane and coincidently the first time since they had been away for Agravaine’s arrival. He was clearly bewildered by the prospect of both King and Consort leaving the kingdom in other hands just to visit Merlin’s mother. He stared at them for a very long and awkward moment, but thankfully did not ask why Hunith could not come to them instead.

“You’ll be gone for several days?”

“Yes, because two days will be mostly taken with travelling,” Merlin replied.

“And you do this regularly?”

“A mother is rather insistent about seeing her child,” Merlin countered without thinking it through. Agravaine nodded slowly. He turned and walked away. Merlin desperately hoped that he was not intuitive enough to put the clues together. As it was, Arthur was frowning at her.

“Give your mother my love,” Gwaine teased. Merlin scoffed.

“I will do absolutely no such thing,” she informed him.

“But you will give mine,” Gwen said with a mischievous smirk.

Merlin nodded, “Yes, of course I will. Mother adores you.”

After a few more well-wishes, they finally set off. Merlin and Arthur were both riding Hengreon, though the fact that Arthur was there to break her fall had not made Gaius look any less disapproving about the whole matter. After they had gotten out of the citadel and into the woods, Arthur made a strange patting motion at her side.

“What?”

“Have you gained weight?” he asked curiously. “I can’t see it, but I don’t often have you on my horse and it seems like…”

“Arthur Pendragon!” Are you calling me fat?” Merlin demanded in mock outrage. Arthur chuckled nervously.

“That’s not what I meant!” he insisted.

“I know it isn’t,” she reassured him. “And you’re right. I have gained some weight.” Arthur tensed, clearly concerned by the fact she had stopped teasing him so quickly and had agreed with his assessment.

“I’m glad I didn’t offend you?” he murmured, his tone too confused to make it sound like the statement he had likely intended it to be. Merlin just hummed acknowledgment and kept quiet. He was bright. He would catch on if she gave him a moment. The birds twittered overhead. Some of the trees were beginning to change colors, a bright gold or orange leaf interspersed with the green. Arthur gasped. “Are you…?”

“Yes,” Merlin nodded.

“Gaius knew.” Arthur accused. “That’s why he wanted you to stay in Camelot so badly.” He paused, continued in a gentler tone, “Is that why you hadn’t told me?”

“Recently, yes. At the beginning, I was scared to get your hopes up, just in case things didn’t turn out as expected.”

“What happened last time was horrible, but it is certainly not indicative of a pattern,” Arthur insisted. Merlin could tell he believed what he was saying, without having to turn around. “It will not happen again.”

“You can’t know it won’t ever happen again,” Merlin grumbled.

“Of course I can,” Arthur declared.

“Why? Because you’re King of Camelot and straight out of a prophecy?”

“No,” Arthur scoffed. “Because you told me that your Goddess always answers prayers and I asked her to keep you from ever going through that again when you couldn’t get out of bed. You aren’t going to tell me you lied, are you?” Merlin twisted around in the saddle and Arthur’s arms tightened carefully around her to steady her.

“You did that?” She was more than a little shocked. He had always been respectful of her differing views but Arthur had been pretty firm in his faith the last time Merlin had thought to wonder about it.

“Well, I know that my God doesn’t grant favors like that. I had to ask someone. I hate when you suffer. If I could manage it, I would ascertain that you never have to experience pain ever again. Unfortunately, it’s a little beyond my power.” Arthur shrugged, as though he had not turned her world upside down.

“I love you,” she told him, feeling tears in her eyes.

“Oh, why are you crying?” Arthur asked. “I love you too. Why are you crying?”

“You…” Merlin trailed off.

“Did I do something wrong? Did I say something?”

“You’re so wonderfully perfect when you get it right,” she told him.

“Oh, good, I didn’t upset you.”

“No,” Merlin shook her head and kissed his cheek. Arthur grinned at her.

“So, how long have you been keeping this from me?”

Merlin winced a little. “Do remember that there was a war in the middle of this.”

“That long?” Arthur chuckled.

“It was Beltane, I think.”

“That long,” he affirmed. “So… a little after your birthday?”

“I think so,” Merlin nodded.

“That will be good timing. Tell the citadel during the winter and then it can be announced to the rest of the kingdom in the spring just before the tournament.”

“Oh, you say like these things can be planned.”

“I was simply remarking that the timing was convenient, not implying we have much control over it.”

Merlin hummed, “You say that now.”

The rest of the journey passed quickly with mostly pleasant weather and teasing remarks. Towards the end of the ride, the sky darkened with clouds and Merlin and Arthur had a bit of a quarrel about whether or not it was going to rain on their heads. Merlin thought rain was imminent. Luckily, Arthur was correct that the clouds were not going to drench them and they arrived at the Dragorn Fortress and got safely inside before the first drop fell.

About ten minutes after their arrival, the skies seemed to open up and fall. Merlin felt very concerned about the potential consequences of Arthur’s heartfelt plea on her behalf. Had the rain been held off so she would not fall ill or was it merely lucky coincidence? Of course, Merlin had no time to muse on the answer, because everyone wanted her attention. Cariad was trying to tell her a story about one of the servants playing a game with him. Her mother was trying to show off her new brother. Her father was proudly boasting about his dear sons despite the fact no one was listening. The dragons were flying around in silly patterns to catch her eye. Arthur was trying to convey the news to her parents, neither of whom were listening. 

After the first wave of chaos died down, and Cariad had finished his story, Merlin managed to set Cariad on the ground and take Peregrine from her mother.

“He’s beautiful,” she murmured.

“His ears are going to be a disaster,” Arthur predicted. Merlin shook her head at him.

“Oh hush, he’ll be lovely.”

“Won’t he, though?” Balinor murmured smugly.

“How exactly can you be smug when your wife named your child Peregrine?” Merlin demanded. “Why did you not talk her out of this?”

“I thought it was a fine name,” he protested.

“And it goes with your name, dear,” Hunith agreed.

“Yes, and my name is ridiculous,” she informed them. “Besides, why name your child after a falcon because their father is a dragonlord? That does not make any sense at all.”

“Well, be glad there aren’t three Balinors in one castle at the same time,” Hunith snapped. “That was my other idea.”

“I’m sorry I stole your name, mother,” Merlin murmured. Hunith nodded agreeably and took Peregrine back.

“I think it suits him, though,” she suggested. It was Merlin’s turn to nod agreeably. There was a pause of companionable silence as Cariad crawled back into Merlin’s lap and settled himself there.

“You were gone for a long time,” Cariad mumbled irritably. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Merlin swore, cuddling him close.

“Then why didn’t you come sooner?”

“I had lots of things that I had to do that no one else could do for me,” she explained. “When you get big, you’ll have things to do that no one else can for you. And sometimes that will mean you don’t have time to do all the things you want to do, even though you really, really wanted to do them.”

“Then I don’t want to ever get big,” Cariad decided. “I’ll just stay small.”

“That would be nice, but I’ve never heard of anyone being able to do that.”

“You’d be a marvel,” Arthur agreed. Cariad mulled the thought over and decided he liked it. He smiled at Arthur and nodded. Merlin beamed.

“I want food,” Cariad announced. Hunith laughed and waved in one of the maids to take him down to the kitchens for his afternoon treat. He could only eat small portions at a time, so Cariad ate at mid-morning and mid-afternoon as well as meal times.

“Merlin, do you want to tell them, or should I?” Arthur asked. Merlin made a face at him. “Alright, I’ll tell them. Merlin’s expecting again.”

“How wonderful!” Hunith exclaimed.

“I told you I thought she was when I was there before Midsummer,” Balinor said proudly. “I know these things. And you were doubting me.”

“I’m certain I would never doubt you,” Hunith scoffed teasingly. “But how far along are you, dear? A month? Two?”

“Almost five months,” she admitted. Her mother turned a strange flushed color. Her father made a triumphant sound at having been correct. Merlin and Hunith both sighed heavily. “Please keep Cariad from doing that,” she asked.

“I will try my best,” Hunith promised.

Over the course of the two days they took advantage of the short breaks they had in between taking care of Cariad and Peregrine to catch each other up on their lives. Arthur and Merlin told about all the political things they had been doing. Balinor told of starting to get the dragon-lords to collaborate and his hoarding of dragon eggs. Kilgarrah was apparently off in some other kingdom with a branch of the Ladon family, teaching them some of the dragon-lord history.

Of course, Merlin’s main focus was spending time with her son. She wanted to make the most of her time with him. He would be old enough to retain his memories soon and she did not want him to think that she was inattentive out of a lack of affection. She loved Cariad dearly. But her responsibilities were only going to continue to eat up her time and force her visits to be months apart. Perhaps when he was a little older and understood the situation better he would be able to come visit her as well, which could double the frequency of their visits if they coordinated, but that would be years off yet.

Unfortunately, the few stolen days passed all too quickly and Merlin soon found herself on the front of Arthur’s horse, listening to the one of the same lectures Gaius had taken to giving her. Only this time, it was her mother chastising her for reckless behavior. Arthur told her mother the same thing he had told her about praying to the Goddess and Merlin got to watch the same proud, pleased expression on her mother’s face that she had felt on her own. Eventually they managed to finish their goodbyes and leave, despite Cariad’s petulant screams from inside where Balinor was trying to calm him down.

Merlin and Arthur and Hengroen managed to make it safely back to Camelot in time for supper on Friday. There had not yet been letters from Bernicia or Gododdin, but there were several replies about the summit to discuss the Perilous Lands that needed to be taken care of. Thankfully, everything else in the citadel had not needed their signature to continue running and they also had time to devote to answering Morgana’s latest letter.


	16. The Perilous Lands Summit

Shockingly, though considering that all the kingdoms were allies it was perhaps less surprising than it might be, the summit to discuss what to do about the Perilous Lands was scheduled to begin on the third Thursday of October before the first treaty letter arrived from Goddodin on the first Saturday of said month. The first letter from Bernicia had arrived on the actual first. In contrast to scheduling the summit so easily, the content of those two letters surprised no one at all. Both kingdoms wished to treaty with Camelot. Elyan carefully pointed out that once those treaties were finalized and signed, the only kingdom left out would be Odin’s. Of course, there was land ruled by the Picts in the North and the Saxons in the South, but neither territory was recognized as a formal kingdom, like what had been the kingdom of Elmet had become the Perilous Lands once the Fisher King had grown too old to rule. 

Merlin had realized that the beginning of peace treaties were nearly all the same. At least, the ones that were not the result of a war were all the same. There was a tentative exchange of letters at the start, ascertaining that everyone that was agreed about the idea of a peace treaty. The terms generally came after the first three exchanges and then there were a few treaty visits, possibly one to discuss terms, certainly one for the treaty signing, perhaps another visit to solidify the treaty. There was a sort of pattern. Of course, they were sort of running out of kingdoms to worry about forming treaties with. It was a good thing, even if it did make Merlin’s recognition of the pattern almost useless at this point.

The only problem was that Morgause had to be livid. She clearly wanted her sister on the throne and Arthur was doing far too well to be easily displaced. The kingdom had been prosperous under most of Uther’s rule. It was blossoming under Arthur’s. Magic had been brought back. The size of the kingdom was doubled. There were treaties with nearly every other kingdom in Albion. They had gone to war and finished it in two months. Uther had been a skilled tactician but his wars had lasted for years, like most wars did. Most fortresses could withstand siege for months on end and war typically became a series of sieges after the first few battles. They had been quite lucky in how short the fighting had lasted and how few casualties had been sustained as a result of the brevity. The men of fighting age had been taught how to handle weapons and were just now being sent home, in time for the harvest. The people loved Arthur. Morgause would have to do something drastic to get the people to turn from Arthur and accept Morgana as their queen. Merlin knew Morgause had to know that. It was almost too frightening to consider, because all they could do was hope that Morgana came back before Morgause put some horrific plan into motion.

They had progressed to the discussion of terms with Goddodin and Bernicia by the time the four other kings had arrived for the summit regarding the Perilous Lands, which was making everyone hopeful for treaty signings in the spring. It was making Merlin nervous about how quickly they needed to get Morgana to return and how torn Morgana seemed about the idea of physically returning.

Morgana had written another letter, finally mentioning Emrys. She wanted to know if he had arrived yet and whether or not she would be safe if she came for a brief visit. Arthur wanted to respond by telling Morgana that Emrys had been there for over a year before she had left. Merlin had decided that was cruel and unnecessary. She wrote back saying that there was no man called Emrys anywhere in Camelot, much less the citadel, and that Morgana had nothing to fear. Whoever he was, no one had seen or heard of him. It was true. Merlin was not a man and the Emrys of these prophecies did not truly exist. He had been an old man before Arthur’s birth, a respected mentor to the young prince in the prophecies. He had a long white beard. Merlin was several years younger than Arthur and female. Clearly things had changed. Although obviously not everything had changed because Arthur did seem to be well on his way to High King of Albion and he had only been on the throne for a year, and over half of that time as his father’s Regent.

Caerleon and Annis both came from Gwynned. Bayard and Emery came from Mercia. Carlisle came from Rheged with his youngest daughter, Primrose. The elder of the two daughters who had come with the last visit, Jocelyn, was now married, apparently. Merlin hoped that Jocelyn’s husband was kind. James came from Deira alone.

“Well, I do hope that I can safely anticipate this visit being less eventful than the last time I had the pleasure of Camelot’s hospitality,” James commented with a laugh. Merlin made a face at him. Now they had to explain to everyone about Arthur having been doused with a love potion and making ridiculous overtures to King Olaf’s daughter.

“Oh? What happened last time?” Annis asked eagerly.

“I hope nothing that might be repeated,” Carlise added. Arthur looked like he might pull out his sword so Merlin hurriedly offered an explanation.

“There was an attempt to sabotage the Five Kingdoms Treaty by bespelling Arthur into courting King Olaf’s daughter Vivian. Olaf is very protective over his daughter and was not pleased by Arthur dropping by the chambers she was staying in to give her poetry and flowers.” That might understate the situation, certainly leaving out the part where Arthur was caught in Vivian’s bed and Olaf tried to kill him, but it was enough information for Caerleon, Annis, and Carlisle.

“Yes,” James agreed. “And didn’t some servant from Alined’s party claim that he saw Vivian going into Arthur’s chambers one morning in her nightdress? I have a recollection of Olaf storming through the corridors in a state.” Merlin silently dared the man to say something about Arthur being caught kissing the girl. Luckily he did not.

“I believe one of the visiting servants did say something of the kind,” Arthur agreed. “It’s all a little fuzzy for me, but I remember Olaf storming into my chambers in an outrage well enough.”

“Ah, there was confusion about which servant it was? I admit I was a little confused at the time that there was no punishment for that lie.”

Carlisle looked disappointed at the lack of intrigue. Merlin was grateful that James mentioned neither the inappropriate kiss nor the duel. Annis and Carlisle could probably manage to damage Arthur’s reputation in some way with such information.

With the matter settled, Arthur quickly reclaimed control of the conversation. “Well, we won’t have any discontent sorcerers during this summit. So I can assure you there will be no such incidents. If you’ll all follow me…” He led the way into the council chambers.

They all sat down in the council chambers to begin discussing the Perilous Lands, as intended. Arthur quickly informed everyone that Camelot was large enough and he had no desire for any territory in the Perilous Lands unless it was necessary to keep peace and order. Bayard and Emery quickly voiced their agreement. They had plenty of good land and were well-populated and prosperous. There was no need for them to expand. Carlisle, obviously, wanted land. So did James. Deira did not have an abundance of arable land. Caerleon and Annis, having the smallest kingdom at the table, were quite intent on gaining as large a portion of the southern part of the territory as possible. As Rheged and Deira were both farther north, Merlin thought that Caerleon and Annis would most likely manage to accomplish their aim. 

Although the discussions lasted several days to determine exactly where and how the lines ought to be drawn and whether or not the Perilous Lands, which were not so perilous now, ought to still be considered a separate entity from the kingdoms ruling it, the general gist of the decisions were clear by the end of the first discussion. The land would be considered a separate entity from the kingdom and it would be called the Elmet territory. When the Fisher King had still been alive, it had been the Elmet kingdom, so it seemed fitting to keep the name out of respect. Caerleon and Annis took a portion of the southern half. Carlisle took the portion they bordered in the northwest down to where it met Caerleon and Annis’ portion. James took the northeastern side, meeting Carlisle in the west and continuing down about the same distance. Bayard took the small portion that was left over to prevent James and Annis brawling over the council table. Arthur quietly thanked him. Merlin would have been amused by the show, but it had to be agreed that it would not have helped the situation be resolved.

Once the decisions were finalized, the summit was quickly ended. There was a celebratory feast and then everyone quickly made their way back to their own kingdoms. The leader of a kingdom could only leave it in another’s hands for short visits to other kingdoms after all and Rheged was not exactly an hours’ ride.

Merlin wrote the letters to all of their allies explaining the decision made about the Elmet territory. Arthur thought little of the fact there was no letter from Morgana to respond to, but Merlin was a little frightened that perhaps her assurances had done the opposite of what she had intended and Morgana had decided it was a trap again. It almost seemed there was no successful method to make Morgana see sense.


	17. The Cailleach

It seemed as though the fortnight running up to Samhain both dragged on interminably without any correspondence from Morgana and passed between one thought and the next. Either way, Merlin found herself at the feast just after sunset had welcomed Samhain, standing at Arthur’s side at the high table, receiving greetings from the nobles and trying not to wrap her arms around stomach in response to the wariness she felt. Logically, there was no reason for her to fear tonight more than any other. Samhain was about honoring the dead, and Merlin did not fear the dead. Unfortunately, fear cowed before no logic or rationale and Merlin felt certainty that tonight would be Morgause’s greatest attack yet.

Agravaine was coming around the table to take a seat at Arthur’s side and Merlin ought to have been turning to Owen, but a sudden light in the center of the hall caught her eye. Merlin caught Arthur’s elbow just before time slowed around her, and not of her accord. There was a woman, color washed out of her skin and hair and clothes, glowing with an unearthly blue light. Merlin knew she was gawking unattractively. Then the woman spoke and Merlin’s blood froze.

“Emrys… Emrys… Emrys…” she chanted. Suddenly Merlin could feel Morgana through the woman’s magic.

“Who are you?” Morgana’s disembodied voice asked.

“I am the Cailleach, the gatekeeper to the spirit world. You have torn the veil between the worlds.” Terrifying screams echoed through the Hall. “The Dorocha. They are the voices of the dead, my child. And, like the dead, they are numberless.” Merlin could feel her own fear and Morgana’s rising.

“You are right to be afraid, Morgana. Your enemies will rue this day and all the destruction it brings, but you must beware. Tearing the veil between the worlds has created a new world, and you will not walk through it alone. The one they call Emrys will walk in your shadow. He is your destiny, and he is your doom,” the Cailleach paused and then hissed that damned name again. “Emrys.”

The woman was gone as quickly as she had arrived and then Merlin could breathe again but the relief was too great. She fainted.

 

Gwaine saw Merlin’s expression freeze, eyes caught on something in the middle distance, and immediately started towards her. Then he was still halfway across the room and her eyes rolled back in her head.

“Merlin!” he bellowed over the noise in the hall. Everything went silent. Arthur caught Merlin, looking up to Gwaine for an explanation. He shook his head.

“What’s wrong?” echoed around the room. “Will Merlin be alright?” All the knights rushed up to the high table. No one had an explanation. Gaius pushed through the throng.

“Gwaine, what did you see?” he demanded, poking a little at Merlin.

“Merlin was staring at nothing in the middle of the hall and her face froze. I was starting this way and then her eyes rolled back. I shouted.”

“Carry him to your chambers for an examination, sire,” Gaius ordered, with a chiding look at Gwaine. Whoops. No one else seemed to have noticed.

“I think in light of events, the feast will be cancelled.”

“Have the food delivered to everyone’s chambers,” Arthur ordered as he carried Merlin out of the hall. Agravaine echoed the order in a louder voice, instructing the nobles to continue their meal in their own chambers and informing them that as soon as they knew the state of Merlin’s health, it would be announced to the citadel. The knights followed Arthur out rather than listen to the speech. Lancelot reached out and grasped Gwaine’s shoulder as they followed him and Gwaine leaned gratefully into the support. Goddess, let Merlin be alright.

Arthur laid Merlin on the bed. She still had not woken. Gaius soon decided that she had merely fainted.

“Could be because…” Gaius cut himself off as Agravaine opened the door but they all knew that he had meant to say because Merlin was expecting.

“Is he alright?” Agravaine asked.

“Yes, simply sleeping,” Gaius agreed. “Merlin will surely wake in a moment, but I don’t know why he lost consciousness.”

“Should we suspect magic?”

“Not until Merlin can tell us what happened,” Arthur insisted. He was pacing in front of the fireplace. Gwaine was standing with Lancelot, staring at Merlin and silently praying that she would be perfectly fine.

 

Merlin sat up in bed with a start, “Morgana!”

“Hush!” Gaius insisted, trying to force her to lay back down.

“Morgana! Where’s Morgana?” Merlin demanded.

“She’s gone, same as she was yesterday,” Agravaine snapped irritably.

“Uncle!” Arthur chastised. “What about Morgana, love?”

Merlin looked around slowly, feeling a little silly. “I… I saw… There was a woman in the hall. She did something terrible.” Merlin groaned softly. “Where is Morgana?”

“Take a deep breath,” Gwaine suggested, sitting on the edge of the bed. “What woman did you see? Do you know if she did the terrible thing, or was it Morgana?”

“I’m not certain who did the terrible thing,” Merlin admitted. “But Morgana was terrified. And the woman called herself Cailleach, spoke of the Dorocha.”

“One of the goddesses of the Celts,” Gaius explained. “She guards the veil separating the living and the dead. Understandable that she might appear on Samhain. The Dorocha are the dead.”

“She said that the veil had been torn. How bad is _your enemies will rue all the destruction this day brings_ , exactly?”

“Oh Goddess have mercy,” Gaius murmured, collapsing on the bed.

“Has Morgause lost her mind?” Agravaine demanded of the air, leaning heavily on the wall. “She’s loosed the Dorocha.”

“But the dead can’t touch the world of living,” Merlin said.

“Exactly,” Agravaine agreed. “If they touch a living being, they’ll kill it.”

“My people!” Arthur exclaimed. “How do we protect them from the dead?”

“You can’t, that’s the brilliance of the plan,” Merlin realized. “You can’t save your people and they lose faith in their King. Doesn’t matter how much good you’ve done, how prosperous the kingdom is, if they aren’t safe in their own beds at night. Morgana waltzes in with the way to repair the veil and saves the kingdom. They put her on your throne without a second thought. Instead of opposing her, they welcome her, and she takes rule of the kingdom as Uther’s firstborn child. Her children inherit from her. You become a short entry in history between your father’s Purge and your sister’s magical dynasty.” As Merlin finally managed to close her mouth, she met Arthur’s defeated expression. Everyone looked equally horrified.

“It is nearly infallible,” Leon spoke up. “But we can try to find the solution and repair the veil before Morgana takes the throne. If we repair the veil first, Arthur keeps the throne. We don’t have to worry about what Morgause has put in Morgana’s head over the past year.” Even Agravaine looked impressed with Leon’s reasoning.

“You have always been a cool head in a crisis, Leon,” Arthur said warmly. “Of course you are right. We will begin searching for a way to repair the veil immediately.”

“I believe the best place to start would be finding out how the veil can be torn in the first place,” Gaius suggested. “Geoffrey likely would be able to suggest the appropriate books to begin looking and I will consult my own collection.”

“I agree,” Agravaine spoke up. “The way to fix something is often doing the opposite of what was done to break it, after all.”

“I’ll help,” Merlin decided.

“No,” Gaius shook his head. “You and Arthur will eat your supper and sleep tonight. You’ll need to be well-rested to decide on the best plan to repair the veil in the morning. It will likely involve travelling.”

“Yes, Gaius, you’re right,” Arthur agreed.

“I will inform the nobles that Merlin is recovered,” Agravaine offered. “Then I will be at leisure to help discover the solution.”

“Thank you, uncle,” Arthur said. Gwaine squeezed Merlin’s hand and got up. The room quickly emptied. Adara walked in with their meal on a tray.

“Oh, thank God, you’re awake!” Adara cried, setting the tray on the table and flying to Merlin’s side. Merlin opened her arms and caught the girl.

“Yes, I’m going to live,” she teased.

“Do unhand my Consort,” Arthur grumbled with a smile. Adara jumped back, blushing furiously.

“I am sorry, sire, I meant no offense.”

“None was given,” Merlin reassured her. “Arthur’s being mean. Go tell everyone I’m not dead, mm? Agravaine was only going to tell the nobles.”

“Yes, your highness,” Adara agreed. “We were all worried about you.”

“Nothing to worry about me for,” Merlin insisted.

“That’s good to hear.” Adara left to bear the news back to the servants.

“She is fond of you,” Arthur observed, closing the door himself. Merlin nodded. “It’s good that the people like you.”

“Hopefully they’ll still like me in January,” Merlin murmured. “If the people are even still here in January.”

“No negative thoughts, tonight,” Arthur ordered. “Time enough for those in the morning, once we know exactly what we’re up against.”

“As you wish, your majesty,” Merlin agreed teasingly.

They spoke of lighter subjects, the treaties with Gododdin and Bernicia chiefly, and ate their supper and then went to bed. Arthur dropped off easily but Merlin could not get Morgana’s terrified voice out of her head. Merlin got back up without disturbing Arthur and stood at the window, looking out at the dark and the moon. There was a threat out there and Merlin could feel it. How Arthur could sleep she did not know. Merlin scrubbed a hand over her face, wrapping her other arm around her stomach. Morgana’s terror echoed in her ears.

Merlin could not stand it any longer. She left through the servant’s door and made her way to Morgana’s chambers. Merlin went round to the main entrance and walked slowly up the stairs. How many times had she come to Morgana’s door and found her there? Now she knew Morgana was scared and had no idea where to find her. Merlin slowly pushed the door open and crossed the floor to the bed. She sank down onto it.

“Morgana, where are you?” she asked quietly. “What did Morgause do to you? How am I supposed to help if I don’t even know where you are?” The tears finally fell and Merlin sobbed, throwing herself down on the covers. Eventually, the bed dipped beside her.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” Gwen asked softly. “Lancelot told me you were asking about Morgana the second you woke. I wish she had come home already. How are we supposed to protect her if we don’t even know where she is?”

“I don’t know,” Merlin told her. “I hate this. I miss her.” She looked up at Gwen helplessly.

“Me too,” Gwen nodded, tear tracks on her cheeks clear in the moonlight. “She was my friend, more than a mistress. I love her.”

“I love her too. We all do.”

“It’s not fair,” Gwen murmured. “We would never let harm come to her but she’s afraid of us.” Merlin nodded silently. What was there to say? A fresh round of tears came over her and Merlin and Gwen clung to one another. They must have fallen asleep at some point because they were woken by shouts of their names and the sunlight coming in through the window.

“Merlin!” Arthur bellowed. Merlin finally realized she had been wandering about the castle in her nightshift and true form. She quickly remedied the second. Gwen, at least, had gotten a cloak before coming up to the castle.

“Arthur!” Merlin called back. She and Gwen came out of Morgana’s chambers and met Arthur and the knights on the landing.

“I should have guessed,” Arthur admitted. “Couldn’t you sleep?”

“No, but I must have gotten some sleep. Your shouting woke me.”

“You scared us!” Gaius chided. “Do not go wandering off without telling anyone where you’re going! People worry about you!”

“I’m sorry,” Merlin replied. “I just… I swear I heard her voice last night and I couldn’t…” She gasped a sob, trying not cry again. Arthur pulled her into a firm embrace.

“I’m fine,” Gwen reassured someone, probably Lancelot.

“I was so scared when I woke this morning and you were gone,” Lancelot said. Ah, guessed correctly, then.

“I love you,” Arthur whispered in her ear. “Just, wake me up next time.”

Merlin was guided back to their chambers and bundled up and fed breakfast before she was brought to the council chambers and told the method to repair the veil. She wished for a moment that she had not eaten anything because it all threatened to come back up.

“Someone died to tear the veil and someone has to die to repair it?” she asked weakly. Everyone around the council table looked equally horrified at the news. Who would they have to give up?

“I will…” Arthur murmured softly.

“No!” Merlin insisted. “You aren’t leaving me!”

“Arthur, you’re King,” Leon burst out.

“You can’t sacrifice yourself,” Geraint agreed.

“Any of us would be willing to lay down our life for the kingdom,” Caradoc announced. “Maybe this wasn’t how we expected it...”

“But how can you make me choose which knight to give up?” Arthur demanded. “You are all my friends as well as my knights. I cannot be forced to choose which of you to condemn. I won’t do it.”

“I will do it!” Gaius insisted.

“Gaius! You don’t have an assistant!” Merlin cried out.

Agravaine sighed heavily. “I will do it. I have no wife, no children to provide for. I have already appointed a Steward to my lands. You can give them to anyone; they were a gift to Tristan from Uther on his marrying Ygraine. The only function I serve is an advisor. You have other advisors. I am the best choice.”

“Uncle,” Arthur protested. But he could say nothing more. Agravaine had put forward a solid argument. No one could truly say anything. To agree with the man would be horrific, but to disagree would be foolish.

“You are a brave man and Ygraine would be proud,” Bors said firmly.

“If this is what you wish,” Arthur said hesitantly.

“It is for the best, Arthur,” Agravaine insisted. He put a hand on Arthur’s shoulder and tried to smile. “I am old enough and I am not so foolish as to think that I will be missed long after I am gone. Tristan was the likeable one and Ygraine was charming. No one likes someone whose best quality is being clever. I hope I have been useful to those around me, but I cannot imagine my death will cause grief like yours would, or one of your knights. In most kingdoms, the only person who notices the death of a knight is their wife, perhaps an unmarried daughter suddenly besieged by inappropriate propositions. But here in Camelot, your knights are a sort of family. Everyone misses the ones who died in the battles with Gwynned. You will miss me for a while and then you’ll be fine. This is the best choice. I’ve been turning it over in my head since we discovered the solution and every thought has led me back to this decision. I will be the sacrifice.”

“You will be honored,” Arthur offered, accepting Agravaine’s decision.

“Thank you,” Merlin took Agravaine’s hand. “May you find the peace in death that you have sought in life.” He nodded slowly.

“We will ride to the Isle of Blessed with you,” Arthur decided. “I don’t suppose there’s any hope that you will stay here, love?”

“Don’t you know better by now?” Merlin shook her head.

Preparations were made for the journey and announcements were sent out to all the corners of the kingdom. It had been discovered that the Dorocha avoided fire and light. The people would be safe in the daylight and ought to keep large fires roaring at night. Lancelot and Elyan opted to stay behind with Gwen and baby Vivienne. Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine, Leon, Geraint, Percival, Caradoc and Agravaine rode out that afternoon, unwilling to lose another night before beginning to travel. There would surely be deaths, no matter how many announcements were made or precautions were taken.

It was a somber procession. Though the only person who had any fondness for Agravaine was Arthur, he was still going to his death for them, to protect the kingdom. That demanded their respect.

They spent a night under the stars, a veritable bonfire at the center of the camp, guarded all night long. They reached the Isle of the Blessed before nightfall the following day. The Cailleach was waiting for them, the tear in the veil visible behind her, and Merlin shuddered.

“It is not often we have visitors,” she said. Arthur put a steadying hand on Merlin’s shoulder as the woman looked directly at her. “Especially of your caliber.”

“We have come to repair the veil,” Arthur announced.

“And how do you plan to do that?”

“I offer my life in payment,” Agravaine stated, walking forward. They had all said their goodbyes in the council chambers so no one interrupted.

“I accept your offer,” the Cailleach replied, some surprise on her face. “I admit that I was expecting an offer from the prophesied King.”

“Arthur’s time is not yet at an end. I have been missing my sister and brother,” Agravaine said. “I will join them.” The Cailleach stepped aside and Agravaine walked into the tear. The veil closed and the Cailleach disappeared. Arthur let out a sound of regret.

“Come, Arthur, let us leave this place.” Merlin tried to pull him away. “This was his choice.”

“Yes,” Leon agreed. “And we will return to Camelot to honor his sacrifice.”

“Of course,” Arthur mumbled. “I will miss him. He was my uncle.”

“As you should,” Merlin assured him. They all led Arthur back to horses to return home.

“I wonder who Morgause killed to tear the veil,” Arthur murmured absently. “I wonder if they meant anything to her.” Merlin froze for a moment. That was certainly something to consider.


	18. Homecoming

A somber party had returned home from the Isle of the Blessed. Though a death had been necessary, and no one was terribly fond of Agravaine, he had still sacrificed his life. It was not something easily brushed aside for celebrations of the fact the Dorocha had been so quickly dealt with. Of course, there were celebrations of their triumphant return. The people were understandably pleased to not be facing the possibility of death in their sleep. It was only those who had watched Agravaine walk to his death with dignity that felt no inclination for feasts.

That somber mood hung around all of them for days. The fact that Morgana had still not written was certainly not helping Merlin’s despondency. Though she had not told Arthur, she was concerned that Morgause had tricked Morgana again and had given Morgana to the Cailleach to tear the veil. There was no way to find out either, until Morgana either wrote and proved herself alive or someone who had interacted with Morgause arrived with news of Morgana’s death. It was simply down to waiting for the answer, and Merlin had never been terribly good with patience.

In the end, the answer came sooner rather than later. Merlin was walking by one of the windows in a corridor that overlooked the main courtyard and caught a glimpse of pretty black hair and ivory skin under the hood of a cloak. She froze for a moment and then turned and ran full tilt out into the courtyard.

“Morgana!” Merlin cried. Morgana lowered her hood. She had not been wrong. Merlin reached Morgana and pulled her into a fierce embrace, nearly knocking both of them over. “You’re alive!”

“I’m so sorry!” Morgana insisted, trying to push back so she could see Merlin’s face. Merlin was having none of it. “I… I didn’t…”

“Hush, Morgana. Apologies can come later,” she managed to reply. “You’re alive. You’re here.”

“Yes, I’m alive. Morgause sacrificed herself. I’m alive.”

“You’re alive. I was so terrified. We hadn’t heard from you in weeks…”

“I’m alive.”

“Sister!” Arthur called across the courtyard. Merlin could hear his boots as he ran across the cobblestones. He pulled Morgana and Merlin into his arms as well. “Oh, God, Morgana, you’re alright?”

“I’m fine,” she agreed. Suddenly, they were all three crying and clutching one another in the middle of the courtyard.

“Thank God, Morgana, you hadn’t written in weeks!”

Eventually they calmed enough to realize that everyone in the courtyard was staring at them and there was a rather large gathering around them.

“Perhaps we should go inside,” Merlin suggested.

“Emrys is not here?” Morgana asked quietly.

“I don’t have a Court Sorcerer, Morgana,” Arthur told her. “I… Can we discuss everything inside? Where we can at least pretend that the servants aren’t hiding behind the tapestries and eavesdropping…”

“Yes, you’re right,” Morgana agreed. Arthur tucked Merlin under his arm and they all went inside, up to Merlin and Arthur’s chambers. Gwen and Lancelot and Leon and Geraint and Gaius met them there.

Gwen and Morgana shared a tearful embrace, both murmuring apologies in shaky tones. Merlin cleared the parchment and detritus of the treaty terms that kept making its way from the council chambers to their own personal chambers off of the main table. Gaius sank heavily into one of the chairs, staring at Morgana in shock. Geraint stoked up the dying fire. Leon closed and bolted the door behind them. Lancelot bounced baby Vivienne in his arms, having taken her from Gwen. Once Gwen and Morgana parted, everyone else was sitting around the table.

“It is good to have you back, your highness,” Leon said.

“Thank you,” Morgana replied softly. She took one of the remaining chairs. Gwen took her daughter back from Lancelot, sitting in the empty chair beside him. “Is that your daughter? Merlin and Arthur told me you had a baby.”

“Yes. Her name is Vivienne.” Gwen smiled shyly at Morgana.

“For my mother?”

“Yes,” Lancelot replied aloud as Gwen nodded.

“Thank you,” Morgana breathed, reaching out to grasp Gwen’s hands. “You did not… there was no…”

“I wanted to, my lady. It seemed only right.” There was a natural pause in the conversation.

“Morgana, we have some news for you about Emrys,” Arthur announced. “I want to you listen all the way through, please.” Morgana looked a little frightened but nodded.

“I can listen.”

“Morgana,” Merlin reached out her hand and Morgana took it. “I am Emrys.” Morgana jolted in her seat. “The prophecies seem to be a bit mistaken, because I’m certainly not an old man and I would sooner run myself through with a spoon than hurt you.” Morgana was silent. At least she had not flung herself out the window in panic.

Arthur spoke up again. “Merlin and I have discussed the prophecy extensively and it seems that something changed somewhere along the line. You remember that story of being mindful of details, where you lose a nail and then lose the horseshoe and horse and then there’s no message and the war is lost?”

“Yes,” Morgana nodded with clear confusion. “I remember that story.”

“Well, it seems to us that that’s what must have happened with the prophecy. Except instead of losing a war, it seems likely that we aren’t going to end up at one another’s throats within the next ten years.”

“How can you be so certain that there are enough changes? Simply because Merlin is younger than you instead of older…” Morgana looked wary, but she was at least still calm.

“Because I’m his wife,” Merlin explained. She let her spells fall away. Morgana’s mouth fell open. Everyone was silent while Morgana processed the information, seeming to have finally realized that Merlin being Emrys meant that Merlin had magic.

“You…” she stared. “Why did you never tell me?”

“When it made sense to tell you, I felt you were already burdened enough with knowledge of your own magic under Uther’s ban. It was hardly surprising that you lifted that ban the moment you were able. Then I did not want Morgause to know because I feared what she would do with the information.”

“Yes,” Morgana agreed sadly. “My sister was, unfortunately, not a very good person. I do so wish that she had not… well, there are many things that I wish she had not done.”

“No one is perfect,” Arthur assured her. “I’m certain that you will find plenty of flaws in what I’ve done since you left.”

“I am certain I will too,” Morgana teased. There was a pause. “Are you ever going to tell…?”

“Merlin’s due sometime in January. We’ll make the announcement then.”

“And then perhaps she’ll listen to me when I tell her not to do reckless things,” Gaius chided. Merlin blushed.

“Wishful thinking,” Arthur informed him.

“When did you find out?” Morgana demanded suddenly of Arthur. Clearly she had processed. Now she wanted to understand.

They explained how the spell Morgause had done on the citadel and ended with Arthur finding Merlin in her natural body. They ended up having to explain all about freeing Kilgarrah and then meeting Merlin’s father. How Arthur had been planning on wooing Merlin already but Arthur had pretended the castle was a courting gift to Uther in order to give Balinor back his life and Merlin had thought it was all pretense for a bit until it clearly was not. They explained that Merlin had given their first child to her father to raise to carry on the Dragorn line and that her mother had managed to give Balinor a son as well by some miracle. There were apologies for the secrecy. Morgana apologized for her part in Morgause’s attacks on the kingdom.

“I think you are right,” Morgana murmured, at the end of the explanations and apologies. “I think that something changed. Merlin was born differently and it changed everything.”

“Then you are not leaving?” Merlin asked quietly.

“No,” Morgana shook her head firmly. “I’m not leaving.”

“Good. Then I’ll have you formally named Court Sorcerer tomorrow,” Arthur decided.

“I think you ought to ask her if she wants that title first,” Merlin hinted. “Perhaps Morgana wishes to be something else.”

“Court Sorceress is fine,” Morgana replied. “But I get to pick the hat. I’ve seen that thing you told Merlin was a hat and I do not at all trust your judgment.”

“You may wear whatever you wish to,” Arthur assured her. “You are my sister first and foremost. I thought of you as a sister long before I learned we share the same blood.”

“So then I get a crown?” Morgana teased.

“You can have the Queen’s crown if you wish,” Merlin replied mildly. “I’m going to continue using mine. It was my father’s sister’s circlet.” There was silence around the table again for a moment.

“I will consider it,” Morgana agreed. “It’s too beautiful to spend another twenty years in the vaults.”

Once the obvious topics for conversation had been exhausted, Gwen took Morgana to her old chambers to help her freshen up from her journey. Merlin went down to the kitchens to ask for a small feast in honor of Morgana’s return. Even after several hours of conversation, Merlin could scarcely believe that it was actually true that Morgana had returned. Morgana was home and there were no more secrets among them.

That evening, Morgana looked almost like her old self, drifting into the dining hall in one of her old gowns, her jewels at her wrist and neck. Arthur’s favored knights and his councilors and several of the nobles were all joining them for the feast in her honor. With so many people and all the servants hovering to refill goblets and mop up spills, there was no time to discuss anything important, but Morgana seemed at ease. She spoke with the nobles and greeted the knights and gave a very brief account of her time away.

“I panicked. I wished myself away, where I could tend to my sister and then I was away. I tended to my sister’s health and took her back to her home to recover and by the time she had recovered it had been months. But after this… I could not…”

“We would never have considered it,” Owen insisted. “Everyone knows that you are as protective of the people as Arthur and Merlin.” Morgana smiled at him.

The feast drew to a close and everyone retired for the evening. Merlin and Arthur accompanied Morgana back to her chambers.

“I am glad to be home. I had worried that it would have changed too much or perhaps I would be too changed but this is still my home.”

“And it always will be,” Arthur assured her.

“We are so very glad to have you back,” Merlin murmured. “We have all missed you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have come to the end of Part 7. Part 8 will either begin posting on Monday or be posted as a oneshot on Monday. I legitimately can't use any of Season 5's plotlines so I'm just going to wrap up what I have. Depending on how long it is by Monday (and whether I've actually wrapped everything up) we will all discover if it will be chapters or a one-shot. Thanks so much for sticking with me so long!


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